Locals split as Leisure Park changes could cause ‘chaos’ or ‘attract people’

Cambridge Leisure Park is currently up for sale and could be redeveloped by new ownersAr Julius and Kenette Zuluete at Cambridge Leisure Park(Image: CambridgeshireLive)People are divided over plans to potentially redevelop the Cambridge Leisure Park. Some have said that it would cause “chaos” for local businesses while others say it would “inevitably attract people”.Cambridge Leisure Park is up for sale and could be redeveloped with new offices, labs, retail, and leisure opportunities. It currently hosts a hotel, car park, restaurants, cinema, and bowling alley.According to a sales brochure by real estate company JLL, it is the city’s “only multiplex and drive-to leisure destination”. A proposed masterplan shows how the 8.4-acre site could be redeveloped.The brochure explained: “The proposed master plan would comprise of massing ranges from 2 stories to 10 storeys. These buildings would comprise a mixed-use estate for Office, Lab, Retail, F&B, the Junction, Creative Workspace, Leisure, Car Parking and Energy centre.”This includes a “new sustainable home” for the Cambridge Junction, which hosts a variety of events. The repurposing opportunities also suggest that a “big box retail warehouse space” could be explored to draw in shops like M&S, TK Maxx, Next, and Superdrug.CambridgeshireLive went to the leisure park to speak with locals about their thoughts on the potential plans. Ishwar Bankar, 28, who works at Pizza 1889, said: “We have offices here but adding more offices, I think it will affect the hospitality.”Pizza 1889 in Cambridge(Image: CambridgeshireLive)Ishwar said business is regularly brought in to Pizza 1889 from Cambridge Junction and he believes that if the Junction moves, even within the site, the “visibility of small businesses would be less”. He is concerned about the impact this could have on businesses.The site currently has a 611 space multi-storey car park but the proposed plan has 145 spaces. Cambridge City Council is the freehold owner of the site and Land Securities is the leaseholder.Ishwar believes that one of the main aspects of coming out is spending time with family. The “main concern” is that if parking is reduced, he “would lose on lots of customers because they would then go to other places like the city centre where there are more spaces, so that would affect us as well”.Anish Bakrania, 21, is a student from Cambridge. He said that it “sounds like a good idea” and that “if there’s space” it could work well.He believes that there is “definitely better ways to use the space” but if it will “attract more investment and more businesses coming here”, change could have a positive impact. He added: “I think having offices and labs will inevitably attract people and will bring more business here.”Abi Thk, 39, said that more offices and labs would not be a good idea. The 39-year-old added: “The reason is that if you look at this place [Cambridge Leisure] it is a very open place. People hang around here. It’s not only about coming to these restaurants or for bowling, but it gives a lot of space, and especially in the summer this place becomes energetic.”So, if offices get built here, there will be change. It will be more of a corporate vibe which I would not say is a good thing. So, my suggestion would be not to have offices here. We have offices already, just opposite the [railway] station and I think that would be the perfect place but not somewhere where people come to enjoy.”When describing the potential parking space changes, Abi said that Cambridge has a range of companies and businesses nearby who would most likely park their car on site, so to “reduce the number of car parking, again, it would be chaos”.Cambridge Junction would get a “new sustainable” home under the potential redevelopment plans(Image: CambridgeshireLive)Ar Julius, 33, lives in Cambridge. He said that at the moment he does not have any problem with parking, and said “it is really good” but “that could all change” if anything happens at the leisure park.The 33-year-old continued: “If they put offices here, people might need even more parking spaces, and if they lessen the spaces, that could be a problem.”Kenette Zuluete, 35, believes “there is pros and cons” to the possible plans and that “if they bring more work here, the cost of living will rise”. However, Kenette said it could also be an “opportunity” for many people to find work.