Lab space and rooftop farm planned at office block

Developers have shared plans for a pilot project to turn an empty office block in Cambridge into a new innovation hub with a rooftop farm.

The Crown Estate said it wanted to "breathe new life into Cambridge Business Park" and said the transformation of Robinson House would be an early part of this work.

Councillors were given a briefing this week ahead of a formal planning application being submitted.

Robinson House is located on the western edge of the business park, next to Milton Road. It used to be the offices for Ernst and Young, but is currently empty.

Representatives of the development team told councillors how they hoped to transform the building to create a "high quality showcase" ahead of a wider masterplan for the whole business park.

The office block would be refurbished and a car park would be be used as a modular laboratory space.

A café and an events space have also been proposed, as well as an urban farm growing on top of the building.

Lizzie Sears, development manager at the Crown Estate, told councillors that transforming Robinson House into 'Origin' would be the first step of a wider masterplan to redevelop the business park.

She said the building would have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.

When quizzed by councillors on the short timescale, Ms Sears said a building life survey had shown the office block had an economic lifespan of another 15 years.

She explained that after that, the building would likely be demolished and redeveloped as part of the final stages of the overall business park redevelopment.

Councillors raised concerns about parking, with only seven spaces proposed to be retained. Ms Sears said parking elsewhere in the business park could potentially be used on those occasions.

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