BBC Cambridge going live!

I'm pleased to announce that the new BBC premises in Cambridge went live earlier this week. This is the culmination of a joint English Regions and BBC Workplace project to move the BBC from outdated premises and technology (under threat of redevelopment) to fully digital broadcast facilities on the outskirts of Cambridge, close to the renowned science park.

BBC Cambridgeshire consists of the local radio station - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire - and a TV sub-opt of the Norwich TV news (Cambridge do the first half of the 6.30 news for their area - BBC Look East). BBC Cambridgeshire also delivers localised web content.

Time, and the nature of Cambridge city centre being tight and pricey led the BBC to choose a recently refurbished office space on the north side of the city near the A14. We've built new radio studios and technical space on the ground floor and a TV Studio and Newsroom on the first floor. Where possible, we've reused existing building services and augmented them for broadcast continuity purposes.

Thanks to the building team: Capita Symonds, TP Bennett, Aecom, Currie & Brown, Munro Acoustics and Interserve and to Helen Minett and our partners in Balfour Beatty Workplace.

Construction was completed on time and budget in June and the technical fit out and training are now complete. A full programme of radio broadcasting began at 5am on Monday 23rd November and TV goes live on 7th December.

See below for some photos of the exterior, newsroom, TV studio and TV gallery. Well done to all involved for a smooth job well delivered.

Chris