Major redevelopment for Cambridge city centre explained
The architects behind the Civic Quarter project describe it as an exciting but complex challenge
Last updated 27th Mar 2025
The architects leading the Civic Quarter project have described the redevelopment of key city centre sites as an "incredibly exciting opportunity" but acknowledged the "great responsibility" and "complex challenges" involved.
The project aims to revitalise the city centre, including the Market Square, the Corn Exchange, the Guildhall, and surrounding public spaces. Plans include modernising the Guildhall to improve its energy efficiency and make it more accessible to the public while creating office space for rental income. The Corn Exchange will see an increase in capacity and an improved foyer, and the Market Square will be resurfaced to improve accessibility, with existing stalls replaced by a combination of permanent and demountable stalls.
The first phases of the work, including the Guildhall, Market Square, and Corn Exchange, are expected to cost £55 million. Cartwright Pickard has been appointed as the lead architects for the project.
David Roberts, a director at Cartwright Pickard, said: "It is a really exciting thing to be doing. I would say it is every architect's dream to work on buildings such as the Guildhall and the Corn Exchange. They are steeped in history and are integral to the culture of the city.
"That said, it comes with great responsibility, and it is a complex challenge. There are lots of complex challenges and lots of pieces to the puzzle that we as architects need to put together."
Explaining plans for the Guildhall, Roberts said they intend to bring in more natural light by enhancing existing light wells while maintaining the building's historic character. He said: "One of the things that is at the moment quite uninviting about the Guildhall is that there are later additions to the ground floor reception area that are quite unsympathetic.
"Our proposals remove those unsympathetic additions and get back to the grandeur of that space as it was designed in the 1930s. That will then allow us to insert a new feature staircase in the atrium to access the basement level, which will open up the basement for use."
Roberts said that increasing usable space in the Guildhall would allow more areas to be rented out as office space, generating income. "That then feeds into one of the other key aims, which is greater generation of revenue from the Guildhall. In essence, it will bring funds in that can then be used to reduce running costs and feed that money back into frontline services."
He added that one of the aims of the project is to make the Guildhall net zero carbon in operation. "We will be upgrading insulation in floors and roofs, adding triple-glazed secondary glazing to windows, and replacing outdated heating systems. The building will transition to all-electric, removing gas and fossil fuel usage and using air-source heat pumps alongside maximising solar panels on the roof."
Roberts said the changes would help drive down energy costs and reduce expenditure. "That, coupled with the financial returns of the commercial office space, means that the proposals will generate a net saving of around £1 million a year. That £1m can be saved and used for more pressing things."
At the Corn Exchange, Roberts said they intend to "expose more of the heritage" of the building, including previously hidden brickwork. He said: "The foyer work will really show off that heritage to people visiting the Corn Exchange."
The Market Square resurfacing will reuse the listed granite setts, with a focus on making the area more accessible. Roberts said: "We are going to have to work closely with the conservation officer and Historic England to reuse those setts in a way that makes the market a place that everyone can go and enjoy.
"At the moment, it is inaccessible to non-abled-bodied people. Even parents with pushchairs find it very difficult, and it is just not feasible for wheelchair users to access the Market Square. We want to make it an inclusive and accessible space that all residents and visitors to Cambridge can enjoy."
The project will also look at improving public spaces around the market, Guildhall, and Corn Exchange. Roberts said: "We are looking at all of that public realm to really improve it. It is dominated by cars, especially behind the Guildhall and the Corn Exchange, and we are trying to make this a place for people, whether walking or wheeling, with high-quality public space."
Further public consultation on the plans is expected in May, where residents will have another opportunity to share their views. Roberts said: "As architects, we are really keen to listen to people's views and try to incorporate them where we can into the designs."