Fifteen new energy-efficient apartments in Sawston have been handed over to South Cambridgeshire District Council by its development partner Hill.
They are the second set of apartments at the Babraham Road site to be completed, with 11 having been finished and made available for council tenants at the end of last year.
When complete, the development will consist of 63 affordable homes on the site – largely affordable rent apartments and houses, and some shared ownership properties.
All of the properties will be marketed to people with a local connection to the village initially, before being opened up to those from across the district.
The scheme incorporates solar panels, air-source heat pumps, green roofs and electric vehicle charging points for residents to use, as well as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s lead cabinet member for housing, Cllr John Batchelor said: “These new apartments in Sawston are modern, energy-efficient and comfortable.
“They are a million miles away from the historic and outdated images and perceptions of council or social housing. Importantly, they contain the latest energy-saving features to help our tenants not only minimise their carbon footprint but also save money on bills too.
“We have worked extremely hard to exceed our business plan target of doubling the number of new council homes being built ahead of schedule, delivering 89 new homes in 2021-2022 alone.
“This shows we are committed to providing housing that is truly affordable for everyone to live in.”
In 2019, it was agreed in the council’s business plan that the number of new council homes being built would be doubled by 2024.
In the period from 2021-22, 89 new council homes were built, compared to 36 being built in 2019-20 and 64 being built in 2020-21.
The new homes have been built in, among other places, Balsham, Impington and Waterbeach.
Cllr Brian Milnes, lead cabinet member for environmental services and licensing, said: “Sawston is seeing significant additional housing development, which is meeting the high demand for accommodation, especially from the thriving bioscience sector.
“These new properties are a welcome addition to council housing and mean that more local people will be able to continue to work and live affordably.”
The council plans to build more homes in villages across South Cambridgeshire.
Anyone interested in the new council apartments in Sawston, click here for affordable rent properties. Those interested in the shared ownership properties click here and search for shared ownership properties in Sawston.
Image source- Hill Group
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