Wedoany.com Report on Mar 10th, Winvic Construction has been awarded a construction contract to build a 3.1-kilometre-long transport road that will provide construction access for the next phase of the Waterbeach New Town and Railway Station project. This contract, awarded by the Greater Cambridge Partnership through the Eastern Highways Alliance Framework Lot 1 mini-competition, marks Winvic's first project under this framework and is valued at approximately £3 million. Work commenced in November and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2026.
This transport road is an early enabling element of the project. Once completed, it will allow the main contractor, Spencer Group, to begin constructing the new Waterbeach Station. As per the contract requirements, approximately 830 meters of the transport road will repurpose an old airport taxiway within the developer Urban & Civic's site as its foundation. The remaining roughly 2.3 kilometers will be newly constructed within the wider development area. Upon completion, the route will include a 3.75-meter-wide single-track road (passing through farmland with passing places) and a 7-meter-wide single-track road (spanning the taxiway), complete with drainage and fencing.
Winvic states that the works will involve extensive earthworks and the protection of existing utilities. Surplus materials obtained on-site will be reused for leveling adjustments, embankments, and trench digging. The contractor is exploring value engineering solutions to reduce material use, costs, and carbon emissions where feasible. As the site occupies land with a military history, delivering the construction contract will require archaeological supervision, consideration of unexploded ordnance, and managing remote working sections up to 3 kilometers from the main compound. Traffic and pedestrian management measures are planned for Bannold Drove. Winvic has committed to stakeholder engagement with the Greater Cambridge Partnership, the developer Urban & Civic, and the local community to minimize construction disruption.
As part of its commitment under the Eastern Highways Alliance framework, Winvic will also collaborate with local supply chain partners, small businesses, educational providers, and charities to deliver employment, skills, and community initiatives. These will include opportunities for apprentices and underrepresented groups. This transport road is a crucial component of the broader Waterbeach development, which plans to provide housing and community infrastructure alongside the railway station, aiming to serve the area north of Cambridge.
Rob Cook, Managing Director of Civil & Infrastructure at Winvic, said: "Securing our first construction contract under the EHA framework is a significant milestone for Winvic, reflecting the strength of our partnership with the Greater Cambridge Partnership, Cambridgeshire County Council, and partners across the region. The Waterbeach Station transport road is a vital enabling scheme underpinning the long-term growth of the new town and the delivery of key transport infrastructure." Thomas Fitzpatrick, Project Lead at the Greater Cambridge Partnership, added: "We are delighted to appoint Winvic for the first phase of work on the new Waterbeach Station – building the transport road. This road is designed to minimize disruption to residents during the construction of the new station later this year."
