Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) has commenced work on site at Orchard Park in Cambridge.

A total of 75 new homes are being built, including 30 new council homes.

Cllr Mike Todd Jones, Executive Councillor for Housing at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member said: "2021 was a really successful year for the partnership with our target to start on site 500 new council homes by March 2022, reached a year early along with obtaining planning permissions to drive forward our low carbon council homes.

"Starting work on site at Orchard Park will provide a highly sustainable new housing scheme and allow us to deliver much needed new council homes to the north of the city."

The highly sustainable development at Orchard Park has been designed to feature two apartment blocks and a row of coach houses and will be 'gas free' with air source heat pumps, biodiverse green roofs, six electric charging spaces, one hybrid/electric car club vehicle and above policy cycle parking provision for 124 bike spaces.

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Tom Hill, Regional Director of Hill commented: "We are pleased to be starting work on our 14th site as a partnership which will deliver a mix of market sale and brand-new council homes. We have worked extremely hard to produce a scheme which is not only highly sustainable for residents to benefit from but also improves the recreational and biodiversity of the area which the whole community can enjoy."

The homes will be built in line with the Cambridge Sustainable Housing Design Guide using standards which exceed national policy guidelines including denser insulation and wall thickness to minimise heat loss and reduce residents’ energy bills and will include sustainable drainage features.

Throughout the planning process the team also worked closely with local residents on the masterplan to improve the adjacent open space. Extensive recreational and biodiversity improvements have been included along with a community growing garden, pergola and seating area, trim trail, running track, table tennis table and generous planting.

Improvements to the public realm have also been made to provide new open spaces that integrate with and enhance the neighbouring public open space, creating a coherent, connected neighbourhood in Orchard Park.