The government has announced the creation of the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation, a new regeneration body designed to accelerate housing delivery, infrastructure investment and economic growth across one of the UK's leading science and technology clusters.
The Development Corporation will work with local authorities, businesses and communities to bring forward large-scale development, with a focus on ensuring transport links, utilities and public services are delivered alongside new homes rather than after construction has begun.
Ministers say the new body will have the powers to assemble land, unlock stalled and derelict sites and invest in key infrastructure, helping to address housing affordability while improving transport connectivity and supporting the region's continued economic expansion.
The announcement forms part of the government's wider ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and builds on up to £800m already committed to development across the two cities. The funding is intended to increase the supply of affordable housing, improve transport connections and expand access to green spaces.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the new organisation would help realise the area's economic potential.
"Greater Cambridge is an area with huge potential that the new Development Corporation will help turn into more affordable homes, good jobs for local people and infrastructure that supports its communities."
Chancellor Rachel Reeves described Greater Cambridge as "a powerhouse for regional growth" and said the Corporation would play a central role in unlocking further investment.
"We have the right economic plan – by working with local leaders to unlock stalled sites and invest in infrastructure, this Development Corporation will deliver homes, jobs and opportunity at scale, driving regional growth and supporting our science and innovation strengths in Britain," she said.
The Greater Cambridge Development Corporation will operate as a joint national and local body, providing long-term leadership for strategic development across the region. Alongside housing, it is expected to support the creation of thousands of jobs, new innovation facilities and commercial developments aimed at strengthening Cambridge's position as a global centre for science and enterprise.
Business groups and local partners have backed the proposals, arguing that the new body will provide greater certainty for developers and investors while helping bring forward strategic sites more quickly.
The government also highlighted recent progress in removing infrastructure constraints that have limited development in Greater Cambridge. Action to improve water supply and wastewater capacity has already enabled more than 9,000 homes and over 500,000 square metres of commercial space to move forward, with the Development Corporation expected to accelerate further growth across the region.
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