Capital & Centric

The council has paused progression of the project while it awaits the findings of the Gateway 1 report. No decisions have been taken on the future of the project at this stage.

No formal decision has been taken to progress the project further. The council is awaiting the Gateway 1 report before considering any next steps.

The project does not automatically move to the next stage. Any future progression would require a formal decision by the council through the appropriate governance process.

No further new spending or contractual commitments are being made in relation to the project; there may be some limited expenditure associated with the existing contract and completion of the existing activity while the council awaits the Gateway 1 report and considers the evidence available.

The Gateway 1 report is an agreed deliverable as part of the overall commission agreed in July 2025. It is a package of information including plans, drawings and other information that will be prepared by Capital & Centric and will inform the Council on the outcomes of the work to date, including feedback from stakeholders, and feasibility work/masterplans for the sites. It will also include recommendations on next steps and future work; to enable the Council to make an informed determination on next steps.

The council wants any future decisions to be informed by evidence. The Gateway 1 report will provide important information that officers and elected members need to consider before determining any next steps.

The report is expected at the end of September, although this is subject to change.

Both council officers and Executive members will review and consider the findings.

The council intends to publish the report and associated documents wherever possible, subject to any legal, commercial or confidentiality considerations.

The independent review is a separate process commissioned by the council to provide an objective assessment of matters relating to the project.

In response to requests from Members, including those raised during the Council debate on 9 September, this review will provide independent scrutiny and assurance to help the Council understand what happened and identify any lessons for the future.

No. The Gateway 1 report and the independent review are separate processes with different purposes.

The review is currently being commissioned. Timescales and key milestones have yet to be confirmed and will be communicated once available.

No. The council has not yet reached a final conclusion and will consider the Gateway 1 findings before determining any future actions.

No. The council is under no obligation to progress to Gateway 2 or any subsequent stage.

A formal decision would be required through the council's governance and decision-making arrangements before the project could progress further.

No and nor does the project automatically progress. If no decision is taken to move forward, arrangements can be made to bring the project to an orderly close in line with governance and contractual requirements.

Orderly closure means concluding the project in a planned and controlled way, ensuring any contractual, financial, governance and administrative matters are managed appropriately.

This approach helps ensure public money is managed responsibly and that any outstanding matters are dealt with properly and transparently.

The council will assess and manage any financial implications associated with concluding the project. This may include ensuring any contractual, governance and administrative matters are dealt with appropriately. Any material costs will be reported through the council's normal governance arrangements.

The existing approvals only extend as far as the end of Gateway 1, and the financial implications of this were set out in July 2025.

The council believes it is important that decisions are based on evidence and due diligence. No further project expenditure or contractual commitments are being entered into while the report is awaited, helping ensure that any future decisions are informed and proportionate.

Expenditure incurred as part of project development is associated with work that has already taken place. The council will consider all financial matters as part of its review and will respond to the outcomes of that.

It would not be appropriate to prejudice or restrict the outcome of the review.

Any work completed to date, together with lessons learned and evidence gathered, will remain available to inform future decision-making and ensure value is gained from the work undertaken.

It is important that the independent review can carry out its work objectively. Commenting on matters that fall within the review's scope could prejudice or influence its findings.

The council will consider publication arrangements once the review is complete and in accordance with any legal, governance or confidentiality requirements.

The council will provide updates through its website, committee papers, public reports and other communication channels as appropriate.

Yes. Elected members will review the available evidence, including the Gateway 1 report, and will be involved through the council's governance processes.

Yes. The council recognises the strong interest in the project and the views expressed by residents, stakeholders and councillors. These views will be considered alongside the available evidence and governance requirements.

The council will communicate the outcome once the Gateway 1 report has been received, considered, and any subsequent actions have been determined through the appropriate process.

Capital & Centric is a property developer specialising in regeneration schemes. The company focuses on economic and housing-led regeneration that can create new homes, jobs and wider benefits for local communities.

In July 2025, Cabinet approved an initial partnership with Capital & Centric to explore potential regeneration opportunities within Huntingdon, St Neots and St Ives.

The purpose of the partnership was to identify and develop ideas that could support economic growth, improve places and potentially deliver new homes and employment opportunities. No specific schemes or sites were approved as part of that decision. 

Cabinet approved officers working with Capital & Centric to identify and develop regeneration opportunities, undertake stakeholder engagement and prepare business cases. Cabinet also supported the principle of working with Capital & Centric as a potential delivery partner and undertaking engagement activities as proposals were developed.

No specific developments, sites or planning applications were approved. 

Public engagement forms part of the exploratory work approved by Cabinet. The purpose is to gather views on potential ideas and opportunities before any decision is taken on whether proposals should be developed further. 

No. The engagement exercise was an opportunity to gather early feedback on ideas and concepts. It was not a statutory consultation, and no planning applications have been submitted. 

The council will review feedback received through the engagement process alongside technical, planning, financial and other evidence. This information will help inform future decisions about whether any proposals should progress. 

The engagement activity ran until 4 September. A report will be produced bringing together the results of all the engagement work, including online responses, face-to-face feedback and other relevant factors.

This will provide a clear, evidence-based picture of the feedback received and help inform any recommendations that are brought forward. The report and any resulting recommendations will then follow the council’s normal governance processes.

No. No decision has been made regarding whether any regeneration proposal will proceed. 

Any future progression would require formal approval through the council's governance processes. 

No. The council has not approved any developments, regeneration schemes or planning applications as part of this work. Any decision to progress would require further approval through the council's governance processes. 

No. No sites have been approved for development by the council. The concepts presented as part of the engagement exercise are ideas for consideration and feedback, not approved development proposals. 

The expenditure relates to pre-development work undertaken to assess whether regeneration opportunities are viable, and deliverable. This includes surveys, design work, planning advice, engineering assessments, cost advice, environmental studies, project management and viability testing.

No construction work has been commissioned. 

The expenditure has funded a range of professional services and technical studies, including:

• Architectural and concept design work

• Project and programme management

• Engineering and infrastructure assessments

• Quantity surveying and cost management

• Planning and heritage advice

• Transport assessments

• Environmental and ecological surveys

• Land and building surveys

• Public engagement activities.

These activities help assess opportunities, constraints, costs and risks before any decision on progression is made.

Further details of Capital and Centric expenditure can be found in this document. [PDF, 0.1MB]

No. No construction works have been commissioned, and no building works have commenced. The expenditure relates entirely to pre-development, feasibility, design and technical assessment activity. 

Large regeneration projects require significant assessment work before informed decisions can be made. This includes understanding planning constraints, technical risks, viability, infrastructure requirements and potential benefits.

The purpose of the work is to ensure that any future decisions are evidence-based.  

No. The current commitment relates to the approved work undertaken to date. Any future expenditure beyond the current stage would require further approvals through the council's governance arrangements.

Some work originally planned under Gateway 2 has been brought forward into Gateway 1 due to the specific constraints of the sites involved, particularly their conservation status and complexity, in order to enable informed consideration of the proposals.

Formal approval for the wider Gateway 2 activity has not been approved. 

No. The council can choose not to progress beyond the current stage. Progression is subject to governance approvals and gateway controls. 

The council approved funding for the exploratory phase of work to assess potential opportunities. The expenditure relates to the development work, technical assessments and evidence gathering needed to determine whether proposals are viable.

No decision has been made regarding future development activity. 

The work is funded through the Regeneration Opportunities Reserve, which was established following the July 2025 Cabinet decision. 

Capital & Centric were appointed by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd on behalf of Huntingdonshire District Council to deliver placemaking design and regeneration consultancy for developments in three towns.
Under the Work Order, Capital & Centric were responsible for producing viable, high-quality designs sympathetic to each town’s setting, engaging stakeholders and the public, appointing sub-consultants, and procuring necessary surveys and investigations for the progression of several regeneration based mixed use schemes. 

View Call off Contract [PDF, 1MB]

View Capital & Centric Works Order [PDF, 1MB]

The agreement includes formal gateway stages which require approval before work can progress further. Progression beyond the current stage requires formal approval by the council. 

The council can decide not to proceed with any proposals. While concept-specific work may have limited future use, surveys, engineering assessments, planning advice and other technical information may still help to inform future regeneration, planning and asset management decisions. 

No. The council has not sold, transferred, optioned or committed any land as part of the work undertaken with Capital & Centric. No development agreement has been entered into. 

Potential regeneration projects may support economic growth, town centre renewal, new homes, employment opportunities, public realm improvements and wider investment into local communities. However, no decision has been made on whether any specific proposal will progress.