Cambridge's 'Pink Floyd' pub Flying Pig development approved

A developer has pledged that pints will be pulled "as early as possible" at a former pub famous for its links to Pink Floyd.

The Flying Pig in Cambridge closed its doors two years ago amid arguments over the redevelopment of the area.

Changes to the planned development around the pub were approved by Cambridge City Council on Wednesday.

The new plans will see a large office development built around the pub.

There has been a pub on the Hills Road site since the 1840s, and original Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett is said to have met then future Floyd guitarist David Gilmour there in the 1950s.

The pub has been fighting for its survival since 2007, when the city council approved plans to demolish it as part of a housing, retail and office development.

Then in 2019, developers Pace Investments adjusted their plans for the surrounding area after almost 14,000 people signed a petition to keep the pub open.

Now the new developer, Socius and Railway Pension Nominees Limited, has come forward with a number of changes to the plans, which it says will give the office blocks "one of the smartest facades in the UK".

The plans for Botanic Place involve "sustainable and intelligent" designs that can cool the building without using conventional air conditioning, and reduce the energy demand by 70%.

Doug Higgins, the development director at Socius, told councillors at the planning committee meeting that the developer was committed to "bringing the pub back to life".

He said Socius would continue with the previous plans to "see it retained and brought back to life, capturing everything that made it a well loved pub".

"We are obligated to open the pub ahead of the office buildings and we will ensure that pints are being poured as early as possible once it is safe to do so," he said.

Mr Higgins said the amendments would cut the construction period by nearly two years, and reduce the building's impact on the environment.

These included reducing the amount of digging planned for the basement, as well as cutting the number of car parking spaces from 200 to 72.

The number of cycle parking spaces was proposed to be increased.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of approving the application.

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