National property consultancy Carter Jonas has secured two planning consents for affordable housing on behalf of Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP).
The first is for 70 homes in Aylesborough Close in Arbury, north Cambridge. The second is for 14 homes, seven each nearby in Aragon Close and Sackville Close, Kings Hedges. Both planning applications were given a resolution to approve by Cambridge City Council on 5 October.
The provision of a significant number of affordable homes, which will be rented to those on Cambridge City Council’s housing lists, responds to significant demand: according to Council’s latest figures, 2,141 applicants are in need of a home in the city. The range of house types to be provided reflects the needs of those on the housing register, with a significant number of the homes and associated facilities designed for families with young children.
All 84 homes will be designed to Passivhaus standards, and as such will be highly sustainable and energy efficient. They will be very well insulated, with high performance windows, ambient underfloor heating, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery.
The new schemes [are set within a landscape setting that is being retained and will deliver a range of new open spaces. These will include residents’ gardens, play and food growing areas, and areas landscaped with new trees and planting. The extensive landscaping will deliver a 20% biodiversity net gain – double the 10% mandatory target which is due to be introduced nationally in a year’s time. This has been achieved through a range of measures including biodiverse green roofs and mini meadows. Flower-rich shrubs and perennial mixes will provide colour, interest and ecological value throughout the year. Furthermore, green roofs, rain gardens, permeable paving and attenuation tanks will support the sustainable management of surface water.
Paul Belton, Partner at Carter Jonas in Cambridge commented, ‘We are extremely pleased to be working with CIP on an ongoing basis, to help the City to deliver much needed new council housing
‘These two planning consents substantially upscale our earlier pilot Passivhaus projects and will deliver homes which are urgently needed in Cambridge, in a highly sustainable location, and in buildings that are highly efficient, comfortable to live in, economic to run and relate well to their surroundings. Given the well documented cost of living crisis, with energy bills soaring, there has never been a greater need for this issue to be at the forefront of our minds when designing new homes.’
Construction is likely to commence on site in spring 2023.
In achieving planning success, Carter Jonas worked alongside BPTW architects (for the homes on Aylesborough Close) and, PTE architects (for the homes on Aragon Close and Sackville Close) and Concillo Communications.
