Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) has submitted plans to build 134 new homes on Ekin Road in the Abbey ward area of the city.
The joint venture between Cambridge City Council and The Hill Group intends to deliver 78 new council homes and 56 private homes to replace the existing 91 council homes and 17 private homes on the former council estate.
The scheme will provide a mix of one- to five-bedroom homes, including the first five-bedroom council homes delivered through CIP, in addition to four homes specifically designed for wheelchair users.
Gerri Bird, cabinet member for housing at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member, said: “The redevelopment of Ekin Road forms part of the council’s wider programme to raise the standards of existing council homes, deliver additional council homes to meet local need and help address Cambridge’s broader housing supply challenges, including the pressing need for larger family homes. We have built 1,150 new homes since CIP started in 2017, including more than 700 new council homes, and we’re committed to building 1,000 more council homes and 1,000 more market sale homes by 2030. These new homes at Ekin Road are just the start.
“Doing nothing was not an option at Ekin Road because of the serious issues in the buildings, meaning our tenants were living in accommodation that didn’t meet our standards. We’ve worked closely with existing residents who have had to move out of the estate in order for the new homes to be built.
“This is obviously a major upheaval in people’s lives, but we really do everything we can to help them consider their rehousing options, providing support throughout the process, whether that’s advice, financial help with movers, help with logistics and paperwork, as well as the compensation that people are rightly entitled to. It’s particularly positive that we have brand new council homes built by CIP that are ready for people to move into, which many of our tenants are keen to snap up.”
Tom Hill, managing director at The Hill Group, added: “As a partnership, we are committed to building inclusive communities where everyone feels a sense of belonging. By delivering tenure-blind developments, we ensure that all residents, whether in council homes or private sale properties, benefit from the same high quality design and shared spaces.
“Our proposals for Ekin Road reflect this commitment, with plans to deliver larger council houses, including the first four and five-bedroom council homes delivered at a CIP development. These houses will help meet the urgent need for larger affordable homes in Cambridge. Alongside this, we will create 56 private sale homes to support a wide range of buyers, from first-time purchasers to growing families, helping to create a vibrant, mixed community.”
