Hartree Livework Report

A VISION FOR PEOPLE, CITY AND PLANET The Live Work Report Summary

Project Overview LandsecU+I and TOWN are the joint master developers for Hartree, a proposed new quarter, located at the heart of the planned new district of North East Cambridge. Hartree spans 48 hectares of brownfield land and will encompass approximately 5,600 homes, alongside shops, workplaces, educational facilities, community and leisure spaces, and is expected to be delivered over a 20-year period.

The current masterplan envisages three new, mixed-use neighbourhoods, connected by low-car, green streets designed for walking and cycling. It will comprise a blend of housing types and tenures and a 12-acre ‘Playline’ – a series of interconnected green spaces for recreation, food growing, exercise and biodiversity. The Hartree project seeks to shape a sustainable and forward-thinking future for the city by addressing 21st-century challenges and tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs of its residents.

LandsecU+I, and TOWN, in collaboration with landowners Cambridge City Council and Anglian Water, partnered with Livework Studio, a market research and service design agency, to help understand the market for this new quarter of Cambridge, exploring questions around who will live here, how they will live and how this planned new place might best respond to these changing needs.

OBJECTIVES The following objectives were set for this project: • Provide a comprehensive understanding of the future housing market at Hartree.

• Analyse the existing demographics of the area.

• Identify prospective residents at Hartree, considering both current and future demographic trends.

• Grasp customer preferences for spaces, amenities, residences, and neighbourhoods, to validate and challenge current project assumptions.

• Create customer profiles to guide design decisions, planning, engagement activities, and property allocations.

THE CHALLENGE In a rapidly-urbanising world, facing climate change, economic pressures, and housing shortages, it has become imperative to engage in meaningful conversations about the communities and future generations we wish to build for. Recognising the limitations of conventional market research, which often leads to developments that do not understand or meet the diverse needs of its residents (let alone to the needs of residents in the future), the Hartree team has taken a different approach. Alongside the extensive research and engagement activities being undertaken by the team, Livework Studio were appointed to delve into market trends and local aspirations to ensure that the design and planning processes created a place genuinely tailored to its future users.

• Help understand customer responses to key characteristics of the project, such as density and shared mobility • Develop a range of design solutions to address challenges such as density, integrating them into the professional team and the Hartree masterplan.

• Conduct engaging and interactive conversations with future customers, either as part of or an extension to Hartree’s engagement programme.

RESEARCH PROCESS Livework Studio implemented the project in two key stages: Phase One covered market research, aimed at understanding and defining the market for future residents of Hartree, and Phase Two covered service design, defining design and other solutions that might help Hartree respond effectively to the needs of its residents.

PHASE ONE

MARKET RESEARCH This phase aimed to understand future residents’ profiles, demographics, interests, values, and their needs and priorities for their future homes and neighbourhoods. Key activities included:

Reviewing over 200 pieces of secondary research on global housing trends and future population projections.

Surveying more than 500 individuals across various regions, including Cambridgeshire, Greater London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Engaging in discussions with urban design, transport, and sustainability experts to explore housing and development trends.

Conducting 8 in-home interviews with residents from North East Cambridge and nearby communities.

Organising 2 co-design workshops with stakeholders and local residents.

Participating in Hartree’s community engagement events, such as the People City Planet Festival and Ideas Exchange, to share service design insights and gather input from the community.

Findings Livework undertook research to understand some key characteristics and aspirations of future residents. These were derived from experiences of real people living and working in Cambridge, from demographic research such as ACORN profiles, as well as taking inspiration from Cambridgeshire Insight’s development of a profile for Cambridge.

The findings are set out in the form of five personas – examples of people who may in the future live in Hartree. These are not intended to be prescriptive, but to bring to life key characteristics that emerged from the research to further inform the design process, helping identify how Hartree could meet the needs of different residents.

Explorers and Experimenters This group consists of young professionals aged 20-29 who are drawn to Cambridge for academic and employment opportunities.

They prefer rental properties and prioritise sustainability, alternative transport options, and shared amenities.

Key Characteristics •T hey highly value sustainable living and environmental impact, likely influenced by growing up with climate change concerns.

•T hey are open to giving up car ownership and prefer flexible, configurable living spaces

What do they need from their homes and neighbourhoods: • They seek rental propositions that shift power dynamics, giving tenants more influence.

• They also desire rental-friendly ways to decorate flats without risking deposits.

• They look for efficient, flexible and wellconsidered storage space within the home and in communal spaces.

Peace Seekers This group comprises career-driven professionals aged 28-40. They are looking for vibrant, sustainable communities with family-friendly amenities and flexible living spaces. Balancing urban and more peaceful living is a priority for them.

Key Characteristics • They value accessibility and prioritise balancing city lifestyles with privacy and peace.

• Sustainability and access to urban amenities are paramount in their decision-making.

• They are concerned about car ownership’s impact on their freedom.

Community Carers

International Locals

Community-minded individuals, typically older (40-65), who have established careers and seek to nurture the environment and the people living in the community. They aim to create a place where different people can co-exist and learn from each other.

Global citizens who are new to the UK and settling down in an unfamiliar cultural environment. They want to preserve their cultural heritage and share meaningful rituals with their new community.

Key Characteristics • They are time-rich, allowing them to easily forego car ownership, though they appreciate having access to one.

• Sustainability is closely tied to the personal and environmental legacy they wish to create.

Key Characteristics • This group spans a diverse age range (20-45) and includes families, children, and older individuals.

• Financial diversity ranges from modest means to more established savings.

What do they need from their homes and neighbourhoods:

• They prioritise acceptance and respect for diversity, valuing connections to their cultural heritage.

• They seek adaptable homes to accommodate guests and for home working.

What do they need from their homes and neighbourhoods:

• They value community stewardship and appreciate roles in planning and managing community aspects.

• They seek a range of rental options and value a smooth moving experience, perhaps including options to purchase a furnished property.

• Spaces for gatherings and celebrations are important to them.

Home Bodies This group consists of more introverted residents who may not actively participate in the community but still seek security, privacy, and a sanctuary-like home. They prefer to get involved in community life on their own terms.

Key Characteristics • This group has a diverse age range (20-65) and includes skilled and semi-skilled key workers.

• They often have low-to-modest incomes and may use council and benefits schemes.

• They prioritise low-cost services and amenities and value equitable access to opportunities.

What do they need from their homes and neighbourhoods:

What do they need from their homes and neighbourhoods:

• They seek proximity to transport hubs and value integration of nature into the community.

• They appreciate adaptable spaces for gatherings and celebrations.

• They seek low-cost housing integrated within the community.

• Equitable access to shared amenities is crucial for them.

These profiles provide an understanding of the diverse needs, preferences, and priorities of potential Hartree residents to ensure that Hartree’s design is informed by robust market research.

RESEARCH PROCESS

MARKET RESEARCH

PHASE TWO

This phase of work sought to explore key points of differentiation and innovation around the Hartree project, and to identify evidence-based and user-centric solutions to opportunities and challenges that the design and development team is seeking address. These included:

Apartment Living Understanding how the design and management of apartments might attract and serve the needs of a wide variety of residents, including families.

Rent as a tenure of choice Designing rental homes that make renting a choice rather than a necessity, across a range of price points.

New mobility solutions Determining how to make walking, cycling, car clubs and other active travel options a viable, safe and convenient alternative to car journeys.

High-quality, multi-functional open space Creating open spaces that meet the diverse needs of residents in a dense urban environment.

A mix of uses to support daily needs Curating a mix of workspaces, retail, community, and leisure spaces to complement and sit alongside new homes and support the day-today needs of residents.

Findings

Sustainability

by Default

Drawing on the research and the resident profiles set out above, a vision of an innovative community emerged, driven by six key themes. These insights have helped inform early design work and the ongoing the evolution of the masterplan, allowing the development team to better create a resilient, dynamic place, shaped by the needs of its future residents, and that mitigates the challenges posed by the climate emergency.

Five Minute Neighbourhoods: Creating Vibrant and Accessible Neighbourhoods Finding People desire a sustainable, accessible community where essentials are within a short walk of home.

Recommendation Hartree should consist of walkable, functional neighbourhoods, prioritising safety, community interactions, and integration with nature. Space should be reserved for local businesses to help ensure that the new quarter is rooted in Cambridge.

Low Car Neighbourhoods: Embracing Alternative Transportation Solutions Finding The majority of potential residents would give up their cars if work and daily needs were within walking distance, with around half considering giving up cars if public transport reliability improves.

Recommendation Hartree should focus on providing reliable, affordable, and connected transportation options. A five-minute neighbourhood model will grant easy access to work, play, and necessities, supplemented by micro-mobility solutions and improved public transport.

Finding Customers increasingly place value on sustainable living and environmental impact when choosing a home, acknowledging the climate emergency.

Recommendation Hartree should embed sustainability practices into its design, integrating energy-efficient buildings, passive design principles, on-site power generation, and smart water management systems.

Shared Spaces: Collective Culture and Shared Resources Finding creating connections between neighbours helps foster a sense of belonging and safety. Shared resources and facilities are a good way to reduce planetary impact and forge connections with neighbours.

Recommendation Shared amenities like laundries, shared tools and other resources, co-working spaces, and car-sharing services should be provided at Hartree. A sharing culture to encourage collaboration and inclusivity should be promoted.

Living with Nature: Embracing Nature at the Heart of the Community Finding Customers are willing to live in highdensity environments if they offer diverse, natural open spaces that meet the needs of people of all ages.

Recommendation Nature should be integrated into every aspect of Hartree’s development with features like planters, shared gardens, green roofs, and living walls.

Enhanced Flexibility: Empowering Residents with Configurable Living Spaces Finding Higher-density living at Hartree means more residents will live in apartments.

Individuals are open to this if apartments genuinely cater to their specific needs.

Recommendation Hartree should offer easily-configurable homes, enabling adaptation to changing family dynamics. Individuals should be empowered to personalise their living spaces and actively respond to their diverse needs.

This vision for Hartree, shaped and tested by its future market, aims to address the pressing challenges of the 21st century and set new benchmarks for sustainable, inclusive, and connected communities.

CONCLUSION This market research and service design has proven to be successful by demonstrating a genuine market demand for the envisioned Hartree community and shedding light on evolving preferences in modern living.

It has provided insights into how people aspire to live in the future, aligning the project with real-world needs and aspirations of its future residents.

As such, the vision for Hartree, shaped and tested by its future market, aims to address the pressing challenges of the 21st century and set new benchmarks for sustainable, inclusive, and connected communities.

The findings of Livework Studio’s market research and service design have been integrated into the project brief for the Hartree Design team, and therefore will be included within the emerging design work and ultimately the planning application for the project. The insights shared in this document, derived through market research and resident profiling, have become central to the project’s outlook. With the six key themes — Five Minute Neighbourhoods, Sustainability by Default, Low Car Neighbourhoods, Living with Nature, Shared Spaces, and Enhanced Flexibility — providing a clear roadmap for the development of Hartree that responds to the unique needs and aspirations of its future residents. They emphasise walkability, sustainability, alternative transportation, green spaces, community-building, and adaptable living spaces to be taken forward in the masterplanning work.

This unique research has reinforced LandsecU+I and TOWN’s vision for Hartree, and the commitment to shaping a place that supports the health, happiness and wellbeing of people who will live, work and spend time here.

At LandsecU+I thoughtful regeneration is in our DNA. We exist to make the lives of people better and to unlock value for all. Imaginative, meaningful mixed-use places create proud thriving communities. They are good for people and society, good for the economy and good for our business. landsec-uandi.com

TOWN’s mission is to create good places for better lives. This means delivering homes, streets and neighbourhoods that improve people’s quality of life, enable more sustainable ways of living, and improve the wider places they’re part of. wearetown.co.uk