Mill Yard reaches first construction milestone in Cambridge

Railpen’s mixed-use Mill Yard development in Cambridge has reached a key construction milestone with the topping out of its first residential building.

Located on Devonshire Road, close to Cambridge railway station, Mill Yard is a £180 million neighbourhood scheme being delivered in partnership with developer Socius and lead contractor Morgan Sindall

Construction. The site is part of Railpen’s Cambridge innovation cluster and is expected to complete in 2027.

Mill Yard will comprise three office buildings—named MY North, South, and Central—two residential blocks, and a nursery, all arranged around a central public park. The neighbourhood is designed to offer a blend of commercial, residential and community uses in a high-density urban setting. On completion, it will deliver around 110,000 sq ft of flexible office space and 70 build-to-rent apartments, alongside a 2,100 sq ft nursery, a restaurant, a café-bakery and a community pavilion.

The development is being built with a strong focus on sustainability and biodiversity. All buildings will be all-electric and powered by a combination of on- and off-site renewable energy sources. The office elements are targeting high sustainability benchmarks, including NABERS Design for Performance 5-star ratings and BREEAM Outstanding certification.

Morgan Sindall Construction is using its "Intelligent Solutions" approach to reduce the environmental impact of the build. To date, 99% of waste generated on-site has been diverted from landfill, and the project has set an embodied carbon saving target of 5,013 tonnes, calculated using the digital tool CarboniCa.

Plans for the public realm include 1.55 acres of accessible green space featuring more than 120 trees, edible and ornamental planting, and a running track. The landscape design incorporates biodiversity measures such as green roofs, bat and bird boxes, hedgehog habitats, and pollinator-friendly planting, with an overall target of achieving a 280% net gain in biodiversity.

George King Architects has designed the community pavilion, which will sit at the heart of the neighbourhood and host events and activities for local residents and workers. Secure cycle storage and end-of-journey facilities are also included in the site plans.

Jamie Shearman, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said the topping out marked “an important moment in the creation of this impressive regeneration project,” and credited the “close, collaborative relationship” with Railpen and Socius for its progress to date.

Maria Averkina, asset and development manager at Railpen, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have reached this latest milestone. Mill Yard is an example of what a neighbourhood should be, where innovation meets comfort, convenience, creativity and community.”

The scheme is positioned to serve Cambridge’s growing technology and research-led economy, offering sustainable workspaces and housing within walking distance of major transport links.