Stonebond at Waterbeach, Cambridge – A Perfect Blend of City, Country, and Culture

Stonebond is a rapidly evolving village, just 10 minutes north of the beautiful city of Cambridge, is a perfect place for homebuyers looking for a life with city, country, and culture all on tap.

Located just five miles north of Cambridge on the River Cam lies the expanding village of Waterbeach. It has a rich history as a former Roman settlement where it is believed residents farmed the fens, an area of flat, low-lying marshland abundant in wildlife.

Today, Waterbeach has a population of almost 6,000, which has grown substantially since 2001. In 2018, it was named a “new town” when plans were approved to build 6,500 new homes and five new schools, relocating the railway station to provide better access to the nearby cities of Cambridge and London. The increase in new properties and facilities, along with great travel links, make it a popular choice with young professionals and families alike.

The village is in an ideal spot for commuters, with trains from Waterbeach’s station reaching London King’s Cross in just over an hour. Cambridge itself is only a 10-minute train ride, while the A14 provides easy road access. The town of Ely with its beautiful cathedral can be reached in 20 minutes by car (A10). Stansted airport (around a 45-minute drive) makes international travel convenient.

Reflecting the fact that Waterbeach is an area growing in size and popularity, the property market in Waterbeach has had a steady period of growth in recent years. There are employment opportunities in the area, with industrial parks close by. Cambridge Innovations Park is situated to the northwest of the proposed new town site and is currently occupied by a number of businesses, with office space, a gym, bar, and cafe on a 10-acre site close to the A10.

Waterbeach Community Primary School has an Ofsted rating of Good and has served the local villages of Waterbeach, Landbeach, and Chittering for 50 years. In 2020, it was extensively renovated, with a two-story block of 12 new classrooms added. The site is also a community hub, featuring local playgroups, the Scout and Guide headquarters, and a library.

Northwest of the town is a former RAF airfield and barracks, now the site of the Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum, which opened in 2016. Three rooms in the museum are devoted to the Royal Air Force, and each year, former members of 514 Squadron hold a reunion in the town, where residents can enjoy the spectacle of a restored Lancaster bomber, Hurricane, and Spitfire flying overhead.

OUT AND ABOUT

Despite the ambitious expectations for growth outlined in the plans for the new town, Waterbeach still enjoys the benefits of a traditionally pretty English village. It boasts a small number of shops, including a butcher, bakery, and pharmacy, plus pubs and a Post Office, and there is a village green, town hall, and recreation ground providing lots of open space for the community to enjoy.

Waterbeach has plenty of nearby attractions for families and people of all ages. Denny Abbey and Farmland Museum feature a range of interactive exhibits that bring the history of farming in the Cambridgeshire Fens to life, and a former Benedictine monastery that was occupied at various times by the Knights Templars and Franciscan nuns. When the monastery closed, the site became a farmhouse and was opened as a museum in 1997.

A family-friendly attraction close to Waterbeach is Anglesey Abbey, Gardens, and Lode Mill, a Jacobean-style house, garden, woodland play area, restaurant, and watermill. The Abbey also has a two-mile walk exploring the countryside and nearby village of Lode, plus a seven-mile bike route to Cambridge center along the National Cycle Network. Ely is close by, the second smallest city in England, and its cathedral is the third longest medieval cathedral in England, with a 19th-century painted ceiling.

Wicken Fen is a wetland nature reserve that is a 20-minute drive from Waterbeach. The area is inhabited by a wide variety of birds, insects, plants, and mammals, and it is said that a young Charles Darwin collected beetles there in the 1820s. Visitors today can use a boardwalk to access the undrained marshes and get close to the wildlife, and there are year-round family events and trails to be explored.

The beautiful university city of Cambridge is easily reached by car or train for museums, galleries, music venues, restaurants, a large market, and green spaces. The Fitzwilliam Museum has a collection of over half a million artworks and historical artifacts, and entry is free. Kettle’s Yard has a collection of modern and contemporary art; highlights include works by Winifred Nicholson, Alfred Wallis, and Christopher Wood. When it comes to evenings out, there are a number of rooftop restaurants with pretty views over the city and river, while the winter brings the perfect chance to explore the cosy cafes and historic pubs before heading to one of the range of theater, comedy, or music venues.

For some peace and quiet from the busy pace of life, wandering the narrow streets filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants or strolling around the university colleges is a perfect way to spend an afternoon, soaking up the atmosphere of tradition and culture for which Cambridge is world-renowned.

HOMES ON THE MARKET…

WATERBEACH, CAMBRIDGE

Stonebond at Waterbeach

Five-star housebuilder Stonebond is delighted to have launched its exciting collection of sustainable new homes at Waterbeach in Cambridge. Stonebond at Waterbeach forms the gateway to the pioneering new community by Urban&Civic, which is transforming the former barracks and airfield at Waterbeach. The development will provide 6,500 homes designed to create a thriving community just outside the city center. With sustainability, biodiversity, and nature at the heart of the transformation, Waterbeach provides a neighborhood rich in heritage, ecology, and opportunity.

As the first housebuilding partner on-site, Stonebond is providing 89 homes including apartments and houses, ranging in size from one to four bedrooms. Stonebond at Waterbeach offers high-quality homes inspired by and connected to the area’s surroundings and past. The homes are arranged in mews and terraced styles and include detached villas overlooking a beautiful communal green open space. Each property has a high-quality specification, carefully considered layouts, and a clear focus on incorporating sustainable additions.

Homes are set in a rich landscape of established woodland around a 23-acre lake, providing the optimum natural surroundings while inviting homeowners to live among wildlife and ecology. The development, which is just three miles away from the Cambridge Science Park, is well connected with a direct cycle route currently being upgraded along the historic Mere Way with a cycle bridge over the A10 due to be installed later this year. Furthering the focus on eco-transport, electric car charging points are provided to all houses, and extensive pedestrian routes make sustainable travel an easy and accessible feat; frequent shuttle buses will also connect the new homes to Waterbeach railway station and Milton Park & Ride.

Heron’s Preschool is situated on the development, while additional early years, primary, secondary, and further education facilities are being rolled out within the development over the next few years – starting with Deneia Primary Academy, run by Anglian Learning Trust. Outside of education, children can burn energy at the 25 upcoming play areas, including the Wild Woods play area ready for the first residents. They can also make use of the sports hall and studio, which already runs sporting groups. In addition, there is yoga, Zumba, and other courses for the young at heart of all ages. Waterbeach also has its own monthly Community Market already up and running, with stalls for local produce, artisan gifts, jewelry, and crafts.

With a community building with a health clinic, a shop, and cafe all coming forward within the first phase, ahead of the future town center, Waterbeach will provide the very best of a connected and thriving neighborhood where everything is on the doorstep.

Stepping outside the dynamic community, residents can access Cambridge center, which is just a 20-minute drive away or a swift 11 minutes from Waterbeach railway station. Public transport options are extensive, with a Sustainable Travel Hub to encourage residents to make use of the many sustainable services available, including the regular shuttle buses to Waterbeach station, which provides connections to Stansted airport in 57 minutes and London in a little over an hour. Bikes, e-bikes, and scooter hire are available, as well as car share options. The Milton Park & Ride is also available, and for those traveling by car, the A14 and M11 links residents to the M25.

Prices start from £290,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, and there is a range of incentives available to enable buyers to secure their new home. The three-bedroom show home and two-bedroom apartment are available for viewing.

For more information, visit stonebondproperties.com/development/waterbeach/.

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