Construction of new training center will proceed despite concerns about water supply.

A new multi-trade apprenticeship centre is set to be established in Northstowe, Cambridgeshire, despite ongoing concerns about local water capacity. The National House Building Council (NHBC) Training Hub, one of twelve planned nationwide, has received planning approval and is slated to open in early 2026.

The facility will accommodate up to 60 apprentices simultaneously, offering hands-on training in trades including bricklaying, site carpentry, and groundwork. Anglian Water had raised objections, citing potential strain on the water system and possible violations of environmental regulations. However, a planning review concluded that these concerns were not substantiated.

The hub, scheduled to operate until 2036, will complement an existing NHBC centre in nearby Impington, which will continue its operations. NHBC emphasized that the new site "will rapidly provide skilled, site-ready tradespeople, significantly enhancing the workforce available for housebuilding across the region."

Northstowe is set to become the largest new town in the UK since Milton Keynes, with over 1,000 of the 10,000 planned homes already constructed, alongside a primary school and a temporary community centre.

The planning report highlighted that the objection focused on the capacity of the Over Water Recycling Centre, which Anglian Water believed might not manage additional wastewater from the hub. The report clarified that the developments flows had already been accounted for within the broader Northstowe planning permissions.

Roger Morton, NHBC Director of Business Change, stated: "This is about more than training apprenticesits about elevating the entire house-building sector. Our Northstowe hub, together with 11 others across the UK, will deliver high-quality training at scale. Apprentices gain real-site experience from day one, accelerating their progress and producing skilled tradespeople ready for the workforce."

Author: Jackson Miller