Office Clearance & Relocation in Cambridge

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire is the UK's deepest concentration of life sciences, biotech and deep tech companies. The city's office market spans everything from cutting-edge lab spaces on the Biomedical Campus to medieval buildings in the city centre that have been converted into offices. A move here often involves specialist equipment, security-sensitive research materials, and access challenges that standard removal companies simply aren't equipped to handle.

Key Office Districts

Cambridge Science Park (Milton Road)

The UK's oldest science park, established by Trinity College in 1970, now houses over 100 companies across biotech, software, electronics and clean energy. The park is managed by TusPark (formerly Bidwells) and has excellent vehicle access — wide internal roads, dedicated loading areas, and buildings designed for commercial use. Moves here are logistically straightforward, though some tenants have specialist lab equipment that requires careful handling. The park sits just off the A14, making it easy to reach from the motorway network.

Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC)

Europe's largest centre of medical research and healthcare, located south of the city adjacent to Addenbrooke's Hospital. The campus is growing rapidly, with AstraZeneca's global R&D headquarters, the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, and numerous biotech companies. Vehicle access is managed through the campus security team — pre-registration is mandatory, and moves in clinical or research areas often need to be scheduled around patient or lab activity. The campus's ongoing construction programme means access routes can change at short notice.

St John's Innovation Centre (Cowley Road)

A key incubator space for early-stage tech and biotech companies, managed by St John's College. The centre's tenants tend to be smaller companies in flexible lease arrangements, meaning higher turnover and more frequent moves. The buildings are functional rather than glamorous — decent loading access, standard lifts, and straightforward clearances. The Cowley Road location provides direct access to the A14 and the Science Park.

Cambridge Business Park (Cowley Road)

Adjacent to the railway station, Cambridge Business Park houses larger corporate tenants including Samsung's European R&D centre and several professional services firms. The park has modern buildings with good loading facilities. Its location next to the station means excellent public transport access, but the surrounding roads (Hills Road, Station Road) can be congested, particularly during university term time.

West Cambridge (Madingley Road)

The university's main science and engineering site, home to the Cavendish Laboratory, the Computer Laboratory, and an increasing number of commercial spin-outs. Access is via Madingley Road, which is narrow in places and heavily used by cyclists. Some buildings are older with limited loading facilities, while newer developments (like the Maxwell Centre) have been designed with modern access in mind.

Cambridge City Centre

Small to medium offices occupy converted buildings along streets like Hills Road, Regent Street, St Andrew's Street and Jesus Lane. As with Oxford, the historic centre presents significant access challenges — narrow streets, pedestrian zones, cycle priority routes, and buildings designed centuries before office furniture existed. Most city centre moves need early morning starts and smaller vehicles.

Local Logistics Challenges

Lab clearances and specialist equipment

Cambridge's dominance in life sciences means a significant proportion of office clearances also involve lab space. Specific challenges include:

• Ultra-low temperature freezers (-80°C) — these weigh 200–350kg and cannot be transported while running. They need to be defrosted, cleaned, and moved with specialist equipment. Some contain irreplaceable biological samples that need to be transferred to temporary cold storage
• Centrifuges and spectrophotometers — precision instruments that need careful packing and vibration-free transport. Replacement costs can exceed the value of the entire furniture clearance
• Fume cupboards — must be decontaminated before removal. Gas and electrical disconnection required by qualified engineers
• Biological waste — Category B or higher biological materials require specialist waste carriers licensed by the Environment Agency. Standard waste carriers cannot handle this
• Intellectual property concerns — biotech startups are often extremely cautious about data security. Hard drives, lab notebooks, and prototype materials may need witnessed destruction with documentation

Cycling infrastructure conflicts

Cambridge has the highest cycling modal share of any UK city. Removal vehicles need to navigate extensive cycle lane networks, raised cycle tracks, and road layouts designed to prioritise bicycles. Key pinch points include:

• Hills Road — the main approach from the south, with mandatory cycle lanes narrowing the carriageway
• Milton Road — the route to the Science Park, recently redesigned with protected cycle tracks that limit vehicle passing opportunities
• Elizabeth Way roundabout — a busy junction that mixes heavy traffic with high cycling volumes
• Guided Busway bridge — cycles share the Busway route from Trumpington to the Biomedical Campus, crossing vehicle routes at multiple points

University term-time congestion

Cambridge's population swells significantly during university term time (October–June), adding congestion and parking pressure across the city. Moves scheduled during the summer vacation (July–September) benefit from quieter roads and easier parking. Graduation week (late June) and Freshers' Week (early October) are particularly busy — avoid scheduling moves for these periods if possible.

Flat terrain advantage

One genuine logistics advantage: Cambridge is almost entirely flat. Unlike Oxford (Headington Hill) or London (various gradients), heavily loaded vehicles face no gradient challenges, and hand-trolleying furniture across car parks and pathways is straightforward.

Transport & Access

• A14 — the main east-west route, connecting Cambridge to the M11 (south to London) and the A1 (north). Largely dual carriageway since the 2020 upgrade, with much improved capacity. Provides direct access to Cambridge Science Park and the northern business areas
• M11 — connects Cambridge to London (55 miles south) via Stansted Airport. Junction 11 provides access to the Biomedical Campus and Trumpington; Junction 12 to central Cambridge and the West Cambridge site; Junction 13 to the Science Park and A14
• A10 — the route north to Ely and King's Lynn. Relevant for moves to Waterbeach and the northern growth areas where significant new commercial development is planned
• Guided Busway — the bus-only route runs from the north-west (St Ives) through the Science Park to the railway station and Biomedical Campus. Removal vehicles obviously can't use it, but it crosses several vehicle routes and the shared-use paths alongside it attract heavy cycle traffic
• Vehicle size — 18-tonne rigids are fine for all science parks and business parks. City centre work requires 7.5-tonne or smaller, and some streets (particularly around King's Parade and Trinity Street) can only accommodate vans
• Cambridge station — the area around the station has been redeveloped with a cycling-focused layout. The approach roads (Station Road, Hills Road) can be congested, and the multi-storey cycle park generates heavy cycle traffic across vehicle routes

Broadband & IT Infrastructure

• Science Park connectivity — Cambridge Science Park has multi-carrier fibre access with connections from Openreach, CityFibre and specialist providers. Installation times are typically 30–45 working days for leased lines
• Biomedical Campus — connected to the JANET academic network as well as commercial providers. AstraZeneca's presence has attracted additional fibre infrastructure investment
• CityFibre rollout — Cambridge is one of CityFibre's priority cities, with full-fibre broadband being deployed across the city. Most business areas already have FTTP availability
• City centre gaps — some older buildings in the historic centre still have limited broadband options. College-owned buildings may have restrictions on running new cabling through listed structures
• 5G coverage — good 5G coverage across the Science Park, Biomedical Campus and city centre from EE and Three. Useful for mobile backup during transitions
• Data considerations — life science companies often have large data sets that take days to migrate. Plan your IT transition separately from your physical move — don't assume a weekend is enough for terabytes of research data

Local Authority & Regulations

Cambridge's commercial property falls under two main authorities:

• Cambridge City Council — covers the city proper, including the city centre, Science Park, station area and most commercial districts. Manages planning, waste licensing and parking enforcement
• South Cambridgeshire District Council — covers surrounding areas including parts of the Biomedical Campus expansion, Granta Park, and the growing Northstowe development. Tends to have less restrictive access requirements than the city
• Cambridgeshire County Council — manages highways across both districts, including temporary parking suspensions, vehicle access permits and road closures

Key regulatory considerations:

• Parking suspensions — Cambridgeshire County Council handles temporary parking permits. Costs are typically £25–40 per bay per day, applied for through their online portal with 5+ working days' notice
• Conservation areas — central Cambridge is extensively designated as a conservation area. External hoisting or crane use may require consent
• Listed buildings — many city centre offices are in Grade I or II listed buildings. Interior works during clearance (removing built-in furniture, altering partitions) may need listed building consent
• Waste regulations — standard Duty of Care requirements. For lab waste, additional Environment Agency regulations apply depending on the waste category
• Greater Cambridge Partnership — the City Deal body is implementing various transport schemes that may affect route planning, including the Cambourne to Cambridge busway and potential congestion charging

Cost Factors for Cambridge

Cambridge pricing is broadly in line with Oxford — slightly below London but above the national average, reflecting the area's strong commercial market and cost of living:

• Lab clearance premium — decontamination, specialist equipment handling and regulated waste disposal can add 30–50% to a standard clearance
• City centre access — the need for smaller vehicles, early starts and manual carrying adds 15–20% to city centre moves
• No congestion charge — Cambridge currently has no vehicle entry charge, though this is under discussion via the Greater Cambridge Partnership
• Parking costs — parking suspensions are cheaper than London or central Oxford, typically £25–40 per bay per day
• Specialist insurance — moves involving high-value lab equipment may require additional insurance cover, adding to costs

Typical Cambridge pricing

Lab clearances can significantly exceed these ranges. Use our cost estimator for a starting figure, then book a site visit for an accurate quote that accounts for specialist requirements.

Our Services in Cambridge

Clear Workspace has managed numerous office clearances and relocations across Cambridge, including lab and research facility moves. We understand the unique requirements of the city's science and technology cluster.

Our Cambridge services include:

• Full office clearance — furniture, IT equipment, confidential waste, everything removed and disposed of responsibly
• Lab and research facility clearance — specialist handling of scientific equipment, coordinating decontamination and regulated waste disposal
• Office relocation — end-to-end move management from planning through to post-move verification
• Furniture resale and donation — Cambridge's growing business community creates strong demand for quality second-hand furniture
• Secure data destruction — ADISA-certified destruction of data-bearing assets with certificates, essential for IP-sensitive biotech companies
• Storage — secure commercial storage for equipment and furniture during transitions
• ESG impact reporting — detailed environmental reporting, increasingly required by Cambridge's research-oriented clients

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does office clearance cost in Cambridge?

Cambridge office clearance costs are similar to Oxford — typically £2,000 to £5,500 for a 20-person office. Science park and business park locations are generally straightforward. Lab clearances and city centre moves with access restrictions cost more.

Do you handle lab equipment clearances in Cambridge?

Yes. Cambridge's concentration of biotech and life science companies means we regularly handle lab clearances involving specialist equipment, chemical decontamination and regulated waste disposal. We work alongside specialist decontamination companies and hold all necessary waste carrier licences.

What are the parking restrictions in Cambridge city centre?

Cambridge city centre has extensive pedestrianisation and limited vehicle access. Most streets in the historic core are accessible only during early morning loading hours (typically before 10am). Removal vehicles need temporary parking permits from Cambridgeshire County Council, and vehicle size is limited to 7.5 tonnes or smaller on many streets.

Can you manage moves on Cambridge Science Park?

Yes. We're familiar with the Science Park's estate management requirements including vehicle pre-registration, insurance documentation and loading bay booking. The park has excellent vehicle access with wide roads designed for commercial traffic.