Following an outcry from residents and advice from consultants, Cambridge City Council is now proposing to retain 14 of the existing houses when it redevelops the Ekin Road housing estate.
The council is now set to build 131 new mixed-tenure homes alongside the retained homes.
A report published by the council’s consultant, JLL, had concluded that full demolition of the estate offered the “greatest opportunity” to provide “long-term benefits.”
But the consultants will now amend their report following “feedback” from the public, including a promise by the Save Ekin Road Group that they would “never surrender” their homes and would “fight the council on the footpaths, streets, and from their front door”.
Cllr Gerri Bird, Labour’s executive city councillor for housing, said: “Thank you to everyone who has been involved in feeding into our plans for Ekin Road. For those Ekin Road tenants who welcome a chance to move into new council homes, that process should thankfully begin soon after the housing scrutiny committee in June. For residents who do not want to move, I really hope this update reassures you that we are listening.
“We understand that anyone facing redevelopment will have lots of questions, and we’ll continue to be available to discuss any concerns you have and to support you throughout the process.”
Redevelopment of Ekin Road is part of the council’s wider programme of work across Cambridge which it says will improve accommodation standards for people living in existing council homes.
At the start of this process 98 of the 122 existing homes were council homes. While fewer council homes will be built under the new proposals, the outcome will be more large three- or four-bed family council homes, increasing from 22 to 37. Some 64 new council homes will be built, with seven more now likely to be retained and retrofitted.
The larger homes are needed to support people who are currently in overcrowded one- or two-bed flats to have opportunities to access larger family properties.
The JLL report, with feedback from the consultation and the updated proposals, will be included as part of an officers’ report to be discussed at the council’s housing scrutiny committee on 18 June.
If the proposals are approved by councillors, affected council tenants will be given priority status to bid for a new council tenancy from 19 June.
Lib Dem housing spokesperson Cllr Anthony Martinelli (Market ward) said: “Labour's chaotic approach to Ekin Road has been a textbook example of mismanaging a redevelopment. The planning and communication has been a complete shambles since the scheme was first proposed and residents have clearly been left upset and angry. Whilst work is clearly needed to address the fact that some houses on Ekin Road - like many owned by the council - are suffering with significant damp and mould issues, it is important that executive councillors engage with the concerns that have been raised throughout this process.
“The redevelopment strategy has been changed several times, mostly behind closed doors as Labour's ruling group have sought to avoid scrutiny of their decision making. This is a taste of what the city has to look forward to if Labour get their way and abolish the Housing Scrutiny Committee and its tenant representatives from next year.”
