A partnership between Cambridge City Council and housebuilder The Hill Group – the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) – celebrated its 1,000th new home yesterday with the official handover of council homes at Aylesborough Close, Arbury - a landmark moment in the partnership’s mission to build much-needed new, high-quality, sustainable homes across the city.
Established in 2017 as a joint venture partnership between the council and The Hill Group, CIP was formed to address the city’s acute housing need by delivering high-quality council homes, market sale homes and community facilities.
The Aylesborough Close development exemplifies this commitment, replacing 36 outdated council homes that no longer met modern space standards and energy efficiency ratings with 70 low-carbon council homes designed to the council’s Sustainable Housing Design Guide which make homes healthier and cheaper to run. This is the first development that meets the council’s CamStandard, building in a cost-effective way to keep energy costs low that is close to Passivhaus. The project was supported by grant funding from Homes England and One Public Estate.
The completion of these homes not only marks a major milestone for CIP but also highlights the partnership’s wider success in delivering long-lasting community benefits – boosting housing supply, improving residents’ quality of life, enhancing sustainability and biodiversity and creating employment opportunities through local labour initiatives.
Cllr Gerri Bird, Cabinet Member for Housing at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member, said: “Reaching our 1,000th home is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates what can be done when councils work in true partnership with experienced housing developers, bringing together the best of public and private sector expertise – I was delighted to unveil the plaque to commemorate this achievement.
"Each home we deliver makes a real difference to people’s lives - providing better quality homes which are warmer in winter and cooler in summer, more affordable to run thanks to lower energy bills, and are part of new, safe places to live with fantastic new community facilities and green spaces.
“Having completed 1,000 new homes across 23 sites, we’re now looking ahead to our next milestone: building 1,000 more council homes and 1,000 more market sale homes by 2030. We are in a position to move forward with a number of projects dependent on funding, and we hope that our track record to date will help us to secure the investment needed to reach our next target.”
Tom Hill, Managing Director at The Hill Group, comments: “This milestone is a testament to the dedication and collaboration between our teams. We are incredibly proud to be delivering high-quality, sustainable homes that reflect the needs of Cambridge residents today and in the future.”
The new homes at Aylesborough Close are designed with sustainability and inclusivity in mind. Each features high levels of insulation, low-energy heating systems, and modern layouts that exceed national space standards. The scheme offers a mix of one- to three-bedroom apartments across three low-rise buildings, with all homes having private outdoor space in the form of a terrace or balcony. Wheelchair accessible homes are also included, supporting residents with varying mobility needs.
Residents will benefit from generously landscaped communal areas, including a dedicated residents’ garden, play area and horticultural zones that promote biodiversity and community well-being.
Through CIP, the council remains committed to improving the standard of accommodation for people living in ageing council homes, building additional council homes to meet local need and addressing wider housing supply issues. Having now delivered more than 1,000 homes across 23 developments, the partnership has set its sights on delivering a further 1,000 council homes and 1,000 more market sale homes by 2030 – continuing to provide decent, warm and safe homes for Cambridge residents.
