Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP), the equal partnership between Cambridge City Council and The Hill Group, has broken ground on two of its four new developments, where a total of 423 new homes will be built across the city.
Of these, 253 will be council homes and 171 for market sale homes, with profit reinvested back into the partnership.
A ground breaking event took place at East Barnwell, in Abbey, on Friday 21st March to mark the start of construction of 120 council homes alongside new facilities including a community centre, library, pre-school and commercial units. The development, taking place over two phase, will replace a black of 18 outdated flats with 48 social rented units and 72 available at around 80% of market rents. Four of the homes will be designed especially for people with disabilities.
Work has also begun at Fanshawe Road in Coleridge, where 84 units are being built to replace 30 ageing properties. Of these 45 will be council homes, designed to meet Passivhaus-equivalent performance standards, and 39 will be for market sale.
Cllr Gerri Bird, executive councillor for housing at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member, said: “This is an exciting time for Cambridge residents as we continue our commitment to providing high quality, affordable homes across the city. Through our innovative Cambridge Investment Partnership, we are building more council homes on average than almost any other council in the country, alongside much-needed market sale homes, helping us to address the local housing crisis. Properties sold privately help fund our ambitious council housing programme and deliver mixed and balanced communities.
“Our partnership has already delivered over 1,000 new homes since 2018, across 23 sites, including 732 council homes, with 656 being net new council homes.
“As of September 2024, more than 2,900 households were on the Housing Needs Register, highlighting the urgent need for more housing. These new developments will help address this demand while creating vibrant and sustainable communities.”
Tom Hill, managing director of The Hill Group, added: “We are proud of what we are accomplishing through CIP, ensuring the delivery of well-designed, energy efficient homes that support the city’s long-term housing strategy. Beyond construction, we are also committed to community wealth-building – supporting local people into work through training, apprenticeships, and social value opportunities that benefit the communities in which we build.
“Our delivery of market sales homes plays a crucial role in addressing Cambridge’s housing affordability challenges by increasing supply. Additionally, profits from the sale of these homes are reinvested into future CIP projects, including new council homes and essential community facilities, securing long-term benefits for the city and its residents.”
In the next few months, construction is also expected to begin on two further developments.
On Histon Road in Arbury, CIP will put up 70 new flats – 28 council homes and 42 for sale. The site was formerly home to a Murketts car dealership and an unused workshop area.
CIP will also develop the third and final phase of Newbury Farm, between Babraham Road and Worts’ Causeway in the Queen Edith’s area of the city. This development will deliver 150 homes, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom houses, of which 60 will be council homes.
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