Indigo in Peterborough

Indigo was named winner of the RICS East of England Residential Development Award 2026. Announced in July 2026, the award recognises the innovation, quality and commitment behind Cross Keys Homes’ largest development to date.

Regenerating the heart of Peterborough

Delivered by Willmott Dixon for Cross Keys Homes (CKH), Indigo is a nine-storey, two-wing residential development in the heart of Peterborough. Taking advantage of cathedral views and a convenient central location, it brings 315 much-needed affordable homes and two commercial units to the city centre – the largest scheme CKH has delivered, and a significant step in the wider regeneration of Peterborough.

What we delivered

The development is arranged as two connected wings around a private communal courtyard, with a home mix designed to serve a broad range of residents:

• 315 affordable homes – a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes, including 37 townhouses
• Two ground-floor commercial units, creating leisure and hospitality opportunities
• Private communal courtyard, balconies and roof terraces
• 50 car parking spaces, 10 with electric-vehicle charging points
• Improved public realm at nearby Laxton Square

“We are thrilled to have won this award. Indigo was a mammoth two-and-a-half-year project which required a huge team effort. It is extremely rewarding to see that our homes at Indigo have not only proven popular with the people who need them, but have also been recognised as a great example of an effective, environmentally sustainable modern development.”

Claire Higgins, Chief Executive, Cross Keys Homes

Innovation to reduce build costs and carbon

Willmott Dixon re-designed the initial scheme with Corstorphine & Wright to improve affordability and deliver greater quality, programme and cost certainty, carrying across efficiencies proven on our Perry Barr Residential Scheme. Indigo makes best use of modern methods of construction as part of our pre-manufactured value approach – including a light-gauge steel frame, brick slips and bathroom pods manufactured offsite.

These methods cut construction time by an estimated 20–30% compared with traditional building, while increasing quality and minimising embodied carbon. The high environmental performance of the finished homes also helps residents reduce their energy bills – a combination the RICS judges singled out in making their award.

Affordable homes for lasting social value

Indigo is built around genuine affordability. Homes are offered at sub-market rents – set at 80% of private-rent levels, with no service charges or hidden costs – to people with a local connection to Peterborough through work or family and a household income below £92,000. The scheme is expected to deliver in the region of £3.2 million of social return on investment, helping to free up affordable housing across the city and tackle the local housing crisis. Homes are marketed through Squire Property Management.

“Indigo is a brilliant example of how strong collaboration, innovative construction methods, and a shared commitment to sustainability can deliver high-quality, affordable homes that make a lasting difference to communities. We’re proud to have worked alongside Cross Keys Homes and Drees & Sommer UK to bring this landmark development to life, and are delighted to see the project receive the recognition it deserves.”

Dan Doyle, Director, Willmott Dixon

“Indigo is a fantastic development that is helping transform the way people live, work and socialise in today’s modern society. We hope that by developing Indigo for affordable housing and offering city centre living that we can free up more affordable housing in Peterborough for those who have been priced out of the housing market, helping to combat the housing crisis.”

Claire Higgins, Chief Executive at CKH

Our team installed similar bathroom pods at Perry Barr Residential Scheme in Birmingham.