Orchard Park, Cambridgeshire

Orchard Park, previously known as Premier Park and before that Arbury Park,[1] is a district and civil parish of South Cambridgeshire, England, contiguous with the city of Cambridge. Previously agricultural land and the site of Premier Park a huge estate for Premier Travel who amongst other things was a main National Express operator with housing for its drivers. the area is currently an extensive housing estate with additional development continuing on adjacent land.

Orchard Park
Orchard Park is located in Cambridgeshire
Orchard Park
Orchard Park
Location within Cambridgeshire
Civil parish
  • Orchard Park
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCAMBRIDGE
Postcode districtCB4
Dialling code01223
PoliceCambridgeshire
FireCambridgeshire
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament

History

The area now called Orchard Park has been settled since at least the Bronze Age and remnants of the Iron Age ring fort, Arbury Camp, remain.[2] The area was also occupied during the Roman occupation of Britain.[2]

By the beginning of the 21st century the area was mostly used for agriculture before it was identified by local government for development. Building started in 2006 and was due to be completed around 2009, but had been suspended from September 2008[3] till June 2009 when building restarted. The development contains a number of newly built houses and flats — mixed social and private dwellings. It has been proposed that under current boundary change proposals Orchard Park should fall within Cambridge City Council's boundaries in the future.

Education

Orchard Park Community Primary School caters for 5–11 year olds. Nearby Cambridge Regional College offers further education.

  • The Orchard Community Centre and houses along Central Avenue.
    The Orchard Community Centre and houses along Central Avenue.
  • Orchard Park Community Primary School.
    Orchard Park Community Primary School.
  • Premier Inn in Orchard Park.
    Premier Inn in Orchard Park.

Transport

The area has bus and road connections to the centre of Cambridge as well as the A14 trunk road. Services on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway began in August 2011 after a lengthy delay. The busway passes the edge of the development with two sheltered bus stops at East and West Orchard Park. A path reducing the travelling distance for pedestrians and cyclists to Histon has been proposed, to reduce Orchard Park resident's dependency on motorised transport. The Ring Fort Path proposal[4] would close the gap between the local hotel and school and the pedestrian crossing over the A14 to Histon. The area is 2 miles from Cambridge North Station Cambridge North railway station and 3 miles from Cambridge Central Station.

Nearby communities

References
  1. "Orchard Park". South Cambridgeshire District Council. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  2. "New community digs back in time". BBC Cambridgeshire. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  3. Extance, Rachel (5 September 2008). "Anger as developers stop work". Cambridge News. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
  4. "Ring Fort Path, proposed link to Histon for pedestrians and cyclists". Cambridge Cycling Campaign. 1 May 2011.
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