Arbury Estate, Cambridge

History of Arbury Estate

Arbury Estate
The Arbury Estate was one of the largest municipal housing developments undertaken in Cambridge during the twentieth century. Before development, much of the area consisted of farmland lying between Arbury Road, King’s Hedges Road and Gilbert Road. During the 1920s and 1930s the City Council began purchasing land, but large-scale building followed the Second World War as Cambridge attempted to tackle an acute housing shortage.

The estate was planned as more than a collection of houses. Early proposals included schools, churches, neighbourhood shops, public houses, community facilities, open spaces and a cinema. By the mid-1950s roads and sewers had been completed and construction of hundreds of homes was under way. Ultimately around 1,600 families were expected to live on the estate, with further expansion anticipated to the north.

As the estate matured, attention shifted from building houses to creating a community. Residents campaigned for playgrounds, parks, youth facilities, libraries and recreation grounds, arguing that the rapidly growing population, particularly young families, needed social infrastructure as well as housing. Newspapers repeatedly reported concerns that the estate lacked amenities and risked becoming isolated from the rest of Cambridge.

The development of Arbury illustrates the changing priorities of post-war Cambridge: from emergency house building to the creation of neighbourhoods with schools, churches, shopping centres and community organisations. Mike Petty’s scrapbook preserves a detailed contemporary record of that transformation.

1908 10 09

Arbury Road houses proposed – CWN 08 10 09
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897–1990.

1947 07 16
In order to complete the Housing Committee’s anticipated programme of 5,000 houses, the following additional site are to be purchased subject to the approval of the Minister of Health. Arbury Road-King’s Hedges (number of houses 1,300); Coleridge Road (180), Queen Edith’s Way (250), Cherry Hinton Road (365). Total number of houses 2,095.
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1954 04 22
Cambridge Coun Mrs Phyllis Clarke told a meeting: “One hears a lot about the big housing rate, but it is only 8d in the pound -–the same rate as the Library service. Do we hear of book borrowers being jeered at because they take home subsidised books, or properly owners complain about the cost of a subsidised policeman guarding his property”. The housing programme should be expanded but she condemned the “little rabbit hutches masquerading as houses on the Arbury Road Estate” Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1954 07 19
The Minister’s decision on the County Development Plan has been announced. The only major Cambridge items not approved are the site of the bus station between Christ’s college & Emmanuel and the proposed development for residential purposes of the smallholding land north of Arbury Road. All the central area road proposals including the ‘spine relief road’, the new Guildhall Street and a cross-town route joining Emmanuel Street with Downing Street have been approved together with the new Chesterton Bridge over the Cam near Walnut Tree Avenue, a multi-storey car park in Corn Exchange Street and a subway at the railway station.
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1955 01 21
A proposal to sell up to 300 plots of the Arbury Road housing estate for private building was question by City Councillors. Messrs Mowlem had asked for plots for 100 houses and William Sindall were interested in another 29 fronting Arbury Road. The council was faced with slum clearance and would have to buy land to re-house the people displaced. The Housing Committee existed to provide as many houses for people as possible and if builders offered to erect 300 houses with subsidy, without adding to the rates or national taxation then they could to welcome them. But people affected by slum clearance would not be able to afford these houses 55 01 21
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1955 02 02
Plans are going ahead for the new Arbury Road Estate which should in time take a large bite out of Cambridge’s 4,337 housing waiting list. Stage one will include about 240 houses, flats and bungalows; a shopping centre; two churches (Church of England and Methodist); a cinema and a publichouse. Already roads and sewers have been laid and it is hoped to start building some of the houses this year. But the shops will be a longer-job and will be built to keep pace with the demand. The new Primary School should be occupied this September. The land to the south of Arbury Road will ultimately accommodate 1,600 families in Council and privately-owned houses and it is possible the land to the north may be developed along the same lines. 55 02 02
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1955 09 16
On the map in 10 weeks. The first completed dwelling on the Arbury Road estate extension, designed and built by Monkman of Halifax Road, Cambridge was started on 1st July 1955 and occupied on the 17th September. – Advert 55 09 16b
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1957 07 25
John Mowlem, ‘a famous name in building’ have a number of houses in Tedder Way, Hurrell Road and Harding Way on the Arbury Road Estate ready for immediate occupation. First class construction, part central heating and decorations to the purchaser’s choice. Prices from £2,550 on easy purchase terms: deposit £255 and repayments from £3.9.6. per week. You are cordially invited to inspect the show house at 42 Hurrell Road which is open daily – advert 57 07 25a
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1957 07 31
Princess Margaret left the Arbury Estate several minutes late after laying the foundation stone of the new church of Nicholas Farrar – because a large wasp found its way on to the back seat of her car. She got in and quickly jumped out again. Her private detective spent several minutes removing it before she drove off to a garden party at St Luke’s vicarage amid cheers from the huge crowd. 57 07 31
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1957 08 01
Two groups of Cambridge people, one small and ageing, the other large and young will always carry vivid and happy memories of Princess Margaret’s visit. One are the happy band who are passing away their ‘twilight years’ in the comfort and beauty of Langdon House, which she officially opened. The other are the young families who live on the new housing estate at Arbury Road where the foundation stone of a new church was laid. The Princess came into their midst, laughing, joking and chatting with them, radiating her charm and personality wherever she went. 57 08 01c
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1961 04 18
Sir – Arbury Estate is already overcrowded and is alive with children for whose needs only the minimum facilities have been provided. Already some 730 residents have signed a petition calling for a number of open spaces for youngsters. Now the council is planning to build two blocks of flats on land at the top of Alex Wood Road. These should be resited to give a park for mothers with their prams and old people to sit in the sun with perhaps a bowling green like the one on the Whitehill estate – P.W. Cadogan, Arbury Estate Children’s Playgrounds Committee 61 04 18
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Arbury and King’s Hedges Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.