An ambitious aim, you might think, but it is one the company is well placed to deliver at the 120-acre Cambridge Northern Fringe East site, one of the largest brownfield regeneration projects in the UK.

Last year, Anglian Water and Cambridge City Council chose U+I to be the master-developer for the site, most of which is currently an operational wastewater recycling centre. It has previously been the subject of many failed redevelopment attempts. This time, the plan has the backing of Westminster and last month, it secured nearly £200m from the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to help pay for Anglian Water’s relocation, which will unlock the site for development.

But little has been revealed about the plans so far. Sampson tells Property Week about U+I’s vision for the site, how long it will take to materialise and the challenges he foresees along the way.