Cambridge Investment Partnership’s (CIP) developments, The Meadows and Buchan Street, have reached new heights, with topping out ceremonies recently held at both sites to mark construction reaching the highest point at each development.
Delivered through the equal partnership between Cambridge City Council and award-winning housebuilder, The Hill Group, the developments will comprise 106 new council homes in total. CIP will deliver 28 one and two-bedroom council-rent apartments at Buchan Street.
Additionally, 78 one and two-bedroom apartments for council rent form the next stage of development at The Meadows, adding to the new state-of-the-art, highly-sustainable community centre, completed during phase one, along with the first 22 one and two-bedroom council-rent apartments. All of the homes are wheelchair accessible and adaptable, with four of the apartments at The Meadows and one at Buchan Street designed to accommodate wheelchair users.
Cllr Gerri Bird, Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member, said, “These topping out events celebrate the ongoing collaboration and commitment of our partnership to deliver high-quality sustainable council homes in the city. As well as the new homes, we are also addressing local needs by delivering new and improved community and sports facilities, and open spaces.”
The new council homes have been built as part of Cambridge City Council’s wider programme of work across Cambridge to improve accommodation standards for people living in existing council homes, to build additional council homes to meet local needs, and to address wider housing supply issues.
Tom Hill, Managing Director at The Hill Group comments, “We are delighted to celebrate reaching this stage at Buchan Street and the second phase at The Meadows. These developments are the result of extensive consultation that took place with the local community, stakeholders, and councillors to provide additional sustainable, affordable homes for local people and give residents community facilities that are flexible to meet many needs and are fit for the future.”
The new community centre, which was opened by the Mayor Cllr Jenny Gawthrope Wood and was also visited by Her Majesty the Queen earlier this year, includes a double-height hall, a family centre, a youth wing, a café, a pre-school, and bookable meeting rooms, providing valuable resources for residents.
In addition, CIP has focused on improving existing open spaces and has created an improved free-draining Sports England-approved football pitch, new play areas and skate area, MUGA (multi-use games area), as well as retaining the zip wire and trim trail.
The woodland area has been enhanced with understory planting, bat and bird boxes, and log piles. There is also supplementary tree planting throughout, and a wildflower meadow to soften the transition from street to grassland.
Generous green corridors with wide footpaths, new trees, and ornamental planting are also being created through the layout of the residential and community hub, linking the development with the surrounding area.
CIP has prioritised sustainability in the development, ensuring all the homes are gas-free and feature increased insulation to prevent heat loss and reduce the impact of fuel poverty. Communal air-source heat pumps provide warmth to the apartments, while solar photovoltaic panels and biodiverse green roofs are incorporated to enhance the overall sustainability of the development. Additionally, MVHR (mechanical ventilation and heat recovery) systems are installed in all homes and large areas of the new community hub to help maintain clean airflow. These efforts have led to enhanced U-values, resulting in a significant 68% reduction in CO2.
Electric vehicle charging points are in place, along with the infrastructure for further charging points. Additionally, ample cycle storage facilities are provided to encourage sustainable travel.
