Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP), a joint venture between Cambridge City Council and housebuilder The Hill Group, has commenced construction on two of its four new developments, which will collectively deliver 423 new homes across the city.

Of these, 253 will be council homes, offering a range of affordable rental options to support local workers amid Cambridge's housing affordability crisis. This includes 48 homes available at social rents (around 40-45% of market rent), 100 at 60% of market rents, and 105 at 80% of market rents. The remaining 171 homes will be market-sale properties, with profits reinvested into further council housing and community facilities.

A groundbreaking event took place at East Barnwell in Abbey on Friday, 21st March, marking the start of construction on 120 council homes alongside key community facilities, including a community centre, library, pre-school, and commercial units. The development will replace 18 outdated flats with 48 social rented homes and 72 homes available at around 80% of market rents. Four of these homes will be specially designed for people with disabilities. The energy-efficient, gas-free properties will feature one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom maisonettes, prioritising lower carbon emissions, reduced energy bills for tenants, and minimal annual maintenance costs.

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Work has also commenced at Fanshawe Road in Coleridge, where 84 new homes are being built to replace 30 ageing properties. This includes 45 council homes, designed to meet Passivhaus-equivalent performance standards, and 39 market-sale homes. Of the 45 council homes, 34 will be available at 60% of market rate, while 11 will be available at 80% of market rate.

At both sites, the council has supported residents living in the ageing properties by assisting them in finding suitable new homes, often within newly built CIP developments. Practical support, compensation, and moving cost coverage have also been provided to affected tenants.

Two further developments are set to begin construction in the coming months.

At the ATS Murketts site on Histon Road in Arbury, CIP will deliver 70 new homes, including 28 council homes and 42 market-sale properties. Of the council homes, 21 will be let at approximately 60% of the market rate, while seven will be let at 80%. The former Murketts car dealership and an unused ATS commercial workshop will be transformed into a high-quality residential community, with the planning process incorporating extensive community engagement and design refinements based on resident feedback.

Meanwhile, the third and final phase of the Newbury Farm development, situated between Babraham Road and Worts’ Causeway in Queen Edith’s, will deliver 150 homes, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom houses. Of these, 60 will be council homes, with 45 available at 60% of market rent and 15 at 80%. The council homes will include all the apartments and three of the three-bedroom houses.

Outline planning permission for Newbury Farm was granted in 2019 under the Cambridge Local Plan 2018. The development is being delivered in three phases, with the first two - comprising road infrastructure, a central square, junctions onto Babraham Road and Worts’ Causeway, and a mix of 50 private sale homes and 30 council homes—being led by This Land. Phase three is now set to be delivered by Cambridge Investment Partnership, furthering the city's commitment to providing high-quality, affordable housing and sustainable community growth.