Developer HBD has been named as the delivery partner for Duxford AvTech, a £162 million aviation technology campus planned for a 25-acre site near Cambridge.

The scheme, a joint venture between Imperial War Museums (IWM) and Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, will be located at IWM Duxford, around eight miles south of Cambridge in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. The project aims to create a research and innovation hub focused on low and zero-carbon aircraft technologies.

Totaling 435,000 sq ft, the proposed campus will sit at the intersection of academia, industry, and government, supporting the UK’s ambitions in green aviation and sustainable technology. HBD is targeting high environmental standards for the project, including BREEAM Excellent certification and an EPC A+ rating.

The development is expected to generate 1,200 jobs and contribute an estimated £64 million in gross value added to the Cambridgeshire economy. It will also support wider innovation efforts in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc - an area the UK government has identified as a growth corridor for science, technology, and advanced manufacturing.

Detailed plans will now be drawn up with a planning application targeted for submission before the end of the year. The development will benefit from proximity to Junction 10 of the M11, enhancing connectivity to key regional and national transport routes.

The project marks a continuation of HBD’s focus on innovation-led development, following recent approval for the first phase of its £1 billion Golden Valley scheme in Cheltenham. That project includes the planned National Cyber Innovation Centre and around 1 million sq ft of commercial space, alongside new housing.

Tim Roberts, CEO of HBD’s parent company Henry Boot, described the Duxford project as a major step forward. “HBD’s appointment at Duxford AvTech represents another important milestone for our property investment and development business,” he said. “This is a transformative scheme that will unlock meaningful opportunities for the local economy and further strengthen Cambridge’s position as a global hub for research and innovation.”

The Duxford AvTech project underscores increasing collaboration between heritage institutions, academic bodies, and private developers to support the UK’s net zero ambitions through investment in advanced aviation and clean technology.