Alconbury Weald: Phase 2

Work is starting on Phase 2 of Alconbury Weald, which sits at the eastern side of the development, towards Huntingdon. This phase of the development includes new homes, open spaces and play areas as well as the delivery of the 150-acre Prestley Country Park. The homes and Country Park will be delivered in stages.

In the coming weeks, you will see the start of extensive earthworks putting in place the groundworks for the new homes, as well as the start of regenerative farming practices to turn the previously intensively farmed land into Prestley Country Park.

What’s Happening Now

The plan below shows some of the works scheduled to take place. During this work, some of the walking and cycle routes people normally use may need to be diverted to keep people safe and away from the construction areas. We will minimise this as much as possible, but please note the diversion to one of the tracks as marked below, which makes use of the historic Right of Way.

Prestley Country Park

A cornerstone of Alconbury Weald’s green infrastructure, Prestley Country Park will stretch over 150 acres and provide space for recreation, green space and nature, health and education, as well as opportunities to connect with the heritage of the area.

The Country Park has an approved framework plan that sets out the vision, developed through consultation with the local community over recent years. Urban&Civic is working in collaboration with Nene Park Trust to bring this to life through detailed plans and management on the ground. Residents, local communities and partners will continue to be involved at every stage of its delivery, and the Prestley Country Park Steering Group will also help ensure local views continue to shape the plans.

With the initial landscape including woodlands, grass meadows, open grassed fields and sustainable farmlands, and future opportunities for sports facilities, active play, a café, forest school space and nature trails, there are options coming forward for all ages and interests to enjoy.

Connecting with heritage

Prestley Wood – which sits within the wider park and gives it its name - is home to a Scheduled Monument. 

The Monument was once a 13th-century manor house that was home to some of the area's most prominent landowners through the centuries. Its status is reflected in the unusual double moat that survives and would have protected the house.  The monument has been subject to a series of phased works over the last few years to protect the central area of the monument and restore the woodland around it. In time, this will be opened up as a central feature of the Country Park. 

The Country Park also has a series of Ridge and Furrow areas that reflect medieval farming techniques that were used to maximise the productivity of the land. These will be preserved with information about their historic role.

The rich archaeology and heritage of the Country Park area has influenced the work with Nene Park Trust, who will be using sustainable farming techniques to turn the previously intensively farmed area of Grange Farm into more natural grassland and woodland.

Prestley Country Park sits next to the established Stukeley Hall Park, which forms a complementary, naturalistic landscape. There will be a bespoke management plan for Stukeley Hall Park, co-designed with a working group of local residents, which will prioritise the historic design of the parkland setting, enhancements to habitats, and improve access for residents of The Stukeleys.

What happens next

Prestley Country Park will be delivered in a number of phases, unfolding with the growth of Alconbury Weald. Over the coming months you will see work on the ground and detailed plans being progressed. This includes:

• Fencing will be installed around Prestley Wood to support the new planting taking place to enhance the woodland setting. Some volunteer opportunities are being developed with Nene Park Trust to support this activity.
• Archaeological investigations are expected to take place in late 2026 in the area south of Prestley Wood, with the opportunity for school and community involvement.
• Fencing will be installed in key locations to support sheep grazing. that will help establish regenerative farming alongside traditional agricultural methods to improve soil health and biodiversity.
• Landscape management will be happening on a regular basis and includes mowing, removal of some of the existing vegetation and establishing more wildlife friendly grass seed. It will also start to create a grassland management regime with some areas of haymaking.
• Some earthworks will also take place to help shape the character of the land by creating natural slopes, swales, and bunds. Future tree and shrub planting will then enable the creation of new habitats, as well as providing different spaces for people to explore and quiet areas, play spaces and interactions with nature.
• Remediation work around the old Farmhouse is also underway. While the work is carried out the farm track will be closed, with the path diverted onto the historic Right of Way route. It is hoped the Farmhouse will play an exciting role in the Country Park, subject to an additional consultation with the local community and the evolution of future plans.

Phase 2 Homes: Home is where the park is

The first new homes in the second phase of Alconbury Weald neighbour the Country Park and will be designed to include low-carbon and energy-efficient solutions for Alconbury Weald’s growing community.

Over the next few months, a series of earthworks will be carried out to prepare this area – not just for the homes, but for the green spaces and play areas, and walk and cycle routes which will make this a desirable place to call home.

The current works include the creation of a series of large ponds that will use sustainable drainage approaches to manage rainwater, hold it back in more extreme wet conditions, and enable the water cycle to work as it did when this was traditional farmland. In total, more than 60,000 cubic metres of earth will be moved to create the ponds.

These ponds will also be part of the future blue and green spaces in this phase of Alconbury Weald, creating important habitats for nature alongside recreational spaces, where people will be able to interact with the wildlife around them. 

The earthworks will also see the road, path and cycle network put in place for the residential areas, and enable the first housebuilder partner – Barratt Homes – to start work on the first homes.

A connected community

A new link road that connects to the A141 was completed in 2025 – this is the southern end of The Boulevard, which starts in the north of the development. This road will form the main spine road through the development: connecting the new homes to the central hub of Alconbury Weald, and onto The Boulevard, which connects with Ermine Street and the A1307. The delivery of this road will be phased, alongside the next homes coming forward in Phase 4 of Alconbury Weald.

The southern area of Phase 2 will come forward when plans for the realigned A141 are finalised by local transport partners.