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Brothers' Teamwork Scores Success

Stoford Living has achieved its goal to create a stunning and highly individual £40million mixed-use scheme in Cambridge.

Planning for Parkside, a joint venture with Cambridgeshire Fire Authority has been approved after two and a half years of public consultation and negotiation with the City Council.

It will see the creation of a modern fire station and safety centre, 131 apartments - including more than 50 affordable homes - a restaurant and parking. Sustainable features will include renewable sourced energy supplies.

Located in the heart of the busy city, Parkside overlooks the historically important Parker's Piece - an open space where, in 1863 the first game played under the newly devised Football Association rules took place.

Original proposals to develop the scheme, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, were submitted in May 2006, but controversially refused by the Council's Planning Committee in November that year.

As a result, Jon Andrews, Managing Director of Stoford Living, one of the Midlands leading urban regeneration specialists sought professional advice from his brother Stuart, a senior planning partner with Eversheds LLP.

Stuart led a planning inquiry in May of this year and approval was granted in June.

Stuart, who is based in Nottingham said "We always believed that it was an intelligent and carefully designed scheme in what is an exceptionally sensitive site in Cambridge. The Inspector's decision is great news."

Work will start in 2008 and plans are now underway to re-locate the fire station into temporary accommodation at a nearby site in Cambridge.