The next steps for the first plot of land made available to faith groups for Northstowe have been outlined, following a public engagement and assessment process.
Northstowe Church Network was the highest scoring of two proposals in the faith land bidding process which has been run by South Cambridgeshire District Council.
The group is now being recommended for a 999-year leasehold agreement, marking an important milestone for the growing new town.
The details will be discussed at Council’s upcoming Scrutiny and Overview Committee meeting on Thursday 4 June before a final decision is made at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 23 June.
This is the first of four opportunities for faith and / or community groups to secure land in Northstowe. In future, there will be further land or floorspace within the town centre on phase 2, plus two more opportunities within phase 3.
In 2020, the Council adopted the Northstowe Faith and Community Land Allocation policy which provided a fair and transparent process for land allocation. In December 2024 Cabinet agreed to initiate a bidding round for the first parcel of available land. A bidding window was open for one year from January 2025, during which two bids were received.
Two bids were received for the 0.25-hectare plot off Stirling Road - from Hindu Samaj Northstowe and Northstowe Church Network. Support with the application process was available from the Council - both before and throughout the entire year-long bidding window.
The two proposals were assessed against the agreed policy and criteria by an eight‑member panel, including six District Council officers, alongside two external specialists. The bids were also open for comment in a public survey which received 440 responses, including 14 responses made on behalf of groups.
This first parcel of faith land will transfer from developers Urban&Civic, to the Council, who are recommending that councillors grant a 999-year leasehold to Northstowe Church Network. They must commit to meeting agreed project milestones.
Cllr Dr Lisa Redrup, Lead Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities for South Cambridgeshire District council, said: “This is an important milestone for Northstowe as the new town continues to grow and develop. We’ve taken a thorough and transparent approach to assessing proposals, including public feedback, to ensure the best outcome for residents. Northstowe Church Network submitted the highest-scoring bid, and we are recommending them to take forward this first faith and community site. Spaces like this play a vital role in bringing people together, supporting wellbeing, and fostering a strong sense of belonging. This is just the first opportunity of several, and we look forward to working with a range of groups as more sites come forward in future phases of Northstowe’s development.”
Local district councillors Cllr Natalie Warren Green and Cllr Sunita Hansraj welcomed faith and community provision for the growing town.
Cllr Warren Green said: ““Reaching this point is an important step for Northstowe, and I’d like to thank both groups who engaged with the process so thoughtfully. We recognise the time, effort and passion that goes into bids like these, and that this will be a disappointing outcome for those who were not selected. The panel followed a robust and fair assessment process, considering both expert input and community feedback. As Northstowe continues to grow, there will be further opportunities for faith and community groups in future phases, and we remain committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive range of spaces that bring people together.”
Cllr Hansraj said: “It’s great to see progress towards creating a dedicated faith and community space in Northstowe, which will play a vital role in bringing people together in this growing and diverse town. Places like this are so important for building connections, supporting one another, and creating a strong sense of belonging. Thank you to everyone involved in putting forward bids and contributing to the process - it really reflects the strength of community spirit here.”
The new community at Northstowe is planned as a distinctive new town of 10,000 homes and currently around 1,700 homes are occupied, with a diverse and vibrant community now well established.
Bidding details
The District Council panel assessed the two faith land bids using an eligibility and assessment matrix during a rigorous assessment process. In addition, the public survey weighted scoring was added. The overall weighted scoring is:
Hindu Samaj Northstowe 65%
Northstowe Church Network 81%
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