120 homes at Barnwell Square see construction progress

The last bricks have been laid in the delivery of the new homes at Barnwell Square, East Barnwell, Cambridge, built through Cambridge City Council’s housebuilding partnership with The Hill Group – Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP).

Councillors, representatives from Homes England, One Public Estate, Abbey People and the CIP team attended the ‘golden brick’ event on 24 June to celebrate progress in delivering 120 new council homes alongside community facilities for Cambridge residents.

The development is being delivered to Cambridge City Council’s Cam Standard, which supports households to use less energy, resulting in lower carbon emissions, better climate resilience and reduced household energy bills, while helping address the city’s growing demand for council housing.

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Councillor Gerri Bird, Cambridge City Council cabinet member for housing and CIP board member said: “Everyone deserves a warm, secure and affordable home, and this development demonstrates how our partnership can deliver high-quality, sustainable new homes – replacing 18 ageing homes with 120 new council homes.

“By building to the Cam Standard, we are not only reducing carbon emissions but also helping residents benefit from lower energy use and healthier homes.

“Barnwell Square shows the importance of creating neighbourhoods that support biodiversity, active travel and long-term community wellbeing, while providing homes that will make a real difference to people across the city.”

Tom Hill, managing director for The Hill Group, said, “Reaching this milestone at Barnwell Square marks significant progress in delivering sustainable new communities for Cambridge.

“Working in partnership through CIP, we are transforming outdated housing into new energy-efficient homes designed to meet the needs of both current and future residents.

“This development continues to highlight how collaboration can successfully deliver high-quality homes, community facilities and lasting environmental benefits while supporting the city’s wider housing ambitions.”

Development details

The Barnwell Square development forms part of CIP’s wider programme to improve accommodation standards for people living in existing council homes, and build additional council homes to meet local need. Since CIP was established in 2018, the partnership has built over 1,150 new homes, including 850+ new council homes, across 24 sites in Cambridge.

Located in the Abbey ward of Cambridge, Barnwell Square saw plans submitted in 2023, and  will deliver the 120 new council homes alongside a range of community facilities, including a community centre, a library, a pre-school and commercial units across two phases.

The development will replace 18 ageing flats with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom maisonettes, including four homes specifically designed for people with disabilities. The homes provide a mix of social and affordable rents to support residents with a range of housing needs, including households priced out of the private rental market.

Designed by BPTW, the gas-free development has a focus on sustainability, biodiversity and active travel. Features include tree-lined streets, biodiverse planting, enhanced pedestrian and cycle routes, green roofs and a new public square designed to support community cohesion and wellbeing. The project will also achieve a 20% biodiversity net gain.

Once complete, the library and preschool will be leased to Cambridgeshire County Council, with the preschool subsequently operated by an independent provider. Cambridge City Council will retain ownership of the community centre and lease it to Abbey People as operators as part of its commitment to supporting local communities.