Cambourne
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cambourne | |
  Cambourne shown within Cambridgeshire |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| District | South Cambridgeshire |
| Shire county | Cambridgeshire |
| Region | East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CAMBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | CB23 |
| Dialling code | 01954 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| European Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | South Cambridgeshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Cambridgeshire | |
Cambourne is a new settlement in Cambridgeshire, England, in the district of South Cambridgeshire. It lies on the A428 road between Cambridge, 9 miles (14 km) to the east, and St Neots and Bedford to the west. It is comprised of the three villages of Great Cambourne, Lower Cambourne and Upper Cambourne. The area is close to Bourn Airfield, and photographs of aeroplanes that flew in the area during World War 2 can be viewed inside the local supermarket. The final population is expected to be around 10,000[1].
Contents |
[edit] History
As part of plans to build thousands of new homes in the south-east of England, a new settlement in the Cambridge area was considered in the late 1980s. Planning permission for a development at Monkfield Park was given in November 1996, while construction began in June 1998[2] on what was previously farmland.
Work on building Upper Cambourne is about to commence, with the estimated date of completion being between 2008 and 2010.
The existing planning permission allows 3300 homes in the development, and there are also proposals for a further 950 homes.[3]
Cambourne was initially going to be named Monkfield after the name of the original farm, which is commemorated by a Monkfield Lane in Great Cambourne. The name of the community was created from the names of Cambridge, the nearest city, and Bourn, a nearby village.
The area became a civil parish on April 1, 2004.
[edit] Amenities
Many facilities have been built in Cambourne as part of the recent development. These include a Morrisons supermarket and petrol station, a medical practice, a hotel, allotments, a Chinese takeaway and a pub, "The Monkfield Arms", owned by Pathfinder Pubs.
The high street in Cambourne is still underway, with a chemist, a fish and chip shop, several estate agents, a bookmaker's, a building society, a dry cleaners and an Indian restaurant. However a survey in July 2006 found that more than a third of residents thought that slow development of services was a problem, while almost a quarter thought that the range of shops was poor.[4]
Cambourne has two primary schools, Monkfield Park Primary School and The Vine Inter-Church Primary School, and is in the catchment area for Comberton Village College.
Cambourne Business Park is located to the north of Lower Cambourne and is the home of South Cambridgeshire District Council, which relocated there in 2004.
Environmental facilities include an educational 'Eco Park' which is home to a variety of plant, bird and mammal life and a 'Country Park' covering 80 acres (32 hectares), partially opened in 2001, situated between Lower and Great Cambourne.
[edit] Sport
Various sports clubs are located in the villages, including football, rugby, tennis, netball and cricket clubs with their own pitches.
Cambourne Cricket Club runs two senior teams and two junior teams at U14 and U15 level, with an U11 team looking ever more likely in 2009 after increased interest. Building work on the new pavilion in Lower Cambourne was completed in April 2007 and the club has enjoyed a sustained period of growth ever since. A second ground is due to be opened in 2009 behind the graveyard which will allow up to four teams to be entered into the Saturday leagues.
The senior football club is Cambourne Rovers FC, whose Saturday side plays in the Cambridgeshire Football League BIS division 1a. CRFC also has two Sunday league teams, one competing in the St Neots and District Sunday Football League and a reserve side playing in the Tucker Gardner league, as well as various junior teams playing in the Cambs Mini League and Cambs District Colts League. A second junior club called Cambourne Eagles FC also exists and has four junior teams at U10, U12, U14, U17 level. The latter of the two clubs however, appear to be more successful with the current U12's winning the 2006-2007 league, and also making it to the Semi-Finals in the cup. The Eagles U12's move to colts football has also been successful for the club. Finishing the 2007-2008 season as divison C (U12) league champions and winners of the U12 knockout cup.
[edit] Transport
The transport network for the area has been developed further as a result of Cambourne's construction, with the extension of the dual-carriageway section of the A428. This new bypass opened in May 2007 and has moved much traffic from the single carriageway into Cambridge onto the new road. A bus service operates between Cambourne and Cambridge, and a less frequent one towards St Neots every hour. The nearest railway station is located at St Neots. The speed limit set for the majority of Cambourne is 20mph.
[edit] Church
Cambourne has many services going on and is a multi cultural community. Cambourne Roman Catholic Church holds a mass every Saturday at 5pm at the Vine Inter Church. Visit: www.cambournerc.kk5.org to find out more.
Also, there are many more services. To find out more information about masses, and locations - visit www.cambournechurch.org.uk.
[edit] References
- ^ Cambourne FAQs, accessed 3 November 2007
- ^ South Cambridgeshire District Council, A brief planning history of Cambourne, accessed 3 November 2007
- ^ South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambourne, accessed 3 November 2007
- ^ Cambridgeshire County Council, Living in Cambourne: A survey of Cambourne residents, accessed 3 November 2007
