Plans for affordable flats hit funding roadblock

Council planners said the existing flats were inefficient and had structural problems

Plans to demolish three blocks of flats said to be in a "poor condition" and replace them with new builds have run into funding problems.

In March, Cambridge City Council agreed to build 84 new homes on Fanshawe Road, of which 45 would be affordable.

When the authority applied for Homes England grant funding, it was told the project was not eligible because of the proportion of affordable homes.

Councillors agreed on Wednesday to put forward a workaround so they could build all the affordable homes they had planned.

'Structural issues'

The project has been met with some backlash locally, and was branded a "gentrification project" by some residents when the proposals were approved.

Council planners said the existing flats had "low thermal efficiency" and were in a "poor condition with structural issues".

Earlier this year, Homes England said the Fanshawe Road plans were not eligible for grant funding as the council had hoped.

Its funding criteria allowed for housing schemes with 40% or 100% affordable homes, but not in-between.

Fanshawe Road would have 45 affordable homes to be rented out at below-market rates, or 54% of the proposed development.

Councillors agreed to approve the development with only 34 affordable homes to qualify for the grant funding, and said they would come up with an agreement for the remaining 11 homes.

This would take the form of a memorandum of understanding with the developer, so they would be affordable once further grant funding was available.