Plans for Cambridgeshire’s new town, Northstowe, have taken a major step forward. Proposals for Inholm, a contemporary Fenland village and the second phase of Northstowe, have been granted approval by South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Planning Committee.

Innovative modern house builder ‘House by Urban Splash’, a new company backed by regeneration specialists Urban Splash, Homes England and Japan’s biggest house builder, Sekisui House, is bringing the project forward.

Inholm comprises a total of 406 modular homes sitting within the context of Northstowe’s masterplan and is inspired by the area’s rich history and previous settlements. The new neighbourhood quarter will be defined by a perimeter of landscapes; country park, sustainable drainage swales, ecological zones and an education campus. When complete, it will be the largest in the UK to be manufactured offsite using modern volumetric construction.

Proctor & Matthews Architects is the lead architect and master planner of the site. The village will encompass a range of housing typologies, later living homes and mixed-use buildings. The modular homes will include designs by architects shedkm, which can be configured by the buyer to their own design before being built in a factory and delivered to site.

Mark Latham, Regeneration Director at House said: “We are delighted to launch our first homes in this part of the country and are excited about the opportunities ahead at Northstowe as we contribute to this emerging town.

“We want to break new ground and surprise people using the latest building methods combined with bespoke designs. We are offering a range of customisable homes and apartments to suit a wide range of modern families, lifestyles and budgets. We can’t wait to get going.”

Stephen Kinsella, Chief Land and Development Officer at Homes England, added: “I’m delighted that planning permission has been granted for the first homes to be built on Homes England land at Northstowe, which is a significant step forward for the new town and an important milestone for our joint venture with Urban Splash and Sekisui House.

“This is a really ambitious proposal for 406 homes using modern methods of construction, and the quality design of these homes really reflects our ambition to deliver outstanding places.”

The customisable homes will be launching officially late Spring/ early Summer 2020.