The Church Commissioners for England has submitted an outline planning application for what it describes as the final phase of the northern expansion of Ely, proposing a neighbourhood of up to 1,607 homes on an 85-hectare site known as Highflyer Farm North.
Scheme aims to combine housing, jobs and green space
The masterplan submitted completes the Ely1 allocation set out in the East Cambridgeshire Local Plan adopted in 2015. It envisages a mix of housing types including affordable homes and plots for self-build, alongside flexible employment uses and an extension to the adjacent Chettisham Business Park to create new local jobs.
Nearly 45% of the masterplan area is shown as green open space. Proposals include an enlargement of Ely Country Park, new play areas, playing fields, allotments and green corridors intended to support walking and cycling and connect the new neighbourhood to the wider city.
“Highflyer Farm North represents the final piece in delivering a sustainable, well-connected northern expansion of Ely, ensuring residents can continue to live and work in their local area,”
The comment came from Joyce Lo, assistant asset manager at the Church Commissioners for England, describing the scheme as a neighbourhood that will offer jobs, amenities and plentiful green space while connecting with planned schools and local centres already allocated for the area.
Context and progress to date
The Church Commissioners already hold permission for the adjacent Highflyer Farm site to the south, where outline consent covers up to 800 homes, a local centre and a school. Around 200 homes on that southern site have been constructed and are occupied, the developer says. The new submission is intended to integrate with that existing development and complete the Ely1 allocation.
The Church Commissioners also point to their wider land portfolio, which they say has potential capacity to deliver roughly 30,000 homes nationally, ranging from smaller plots to large-scale communities.
- Site area: 85 hectares
- Proposed homes: up to 1,607
- Green space: approximately 45% of the masterplan
- Existing work: ~200 homes built at the neighbouring Highflyer Farm south site
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Allocation | ELY1 in East Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2015) |
| Housing mix | Market homes, affordable homes, self-build plots |
| Employment | Extension to Chettisham Business Park |
Local impact and practical considerations
If the outline application is approved and later followed by detailed permissions, the development will have implications for local services including schools, healthcare, transport and utilities. The masterplan seeks to reduce car reliance through a network of walking and cycling routes designed to link residents to jobs, schools and local facilities.
Residents and organisations will be able to view consultation materials once the planning authority lists the application. As an outline proposal, future reserved matters submissions would set out the precise layout, design and phasing of homes and infrastructure.
East Cambridgeshire District Council will determine the application following its consultation processes and technical assessments, including transport, ecology and landscape impacts. The proposal may attract comment from parish councils, statutory consultees and residents concerned about the scale, local services and environmental effects.
The application represents the final planned piece of Ely’s northern expansion under the existing local plan and, if taken forward, would substantially increase the city’s housing supply while aiming to deliver employment and public green spaces alongside new homes.
