University considering joint ventures to tackle city鈥檚 鈥渟erious housing problem鈥

NW Cambridge Lot 3: key-worker homes designed by Mecanoo

North West Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is 鈥渧ery keen鈥 to consider joint ventures with housing developers to tackle the city鈥檚 鈥渟erious housing problem鈥.

Professor Jeremy Sanders, pro-vice chancellor for institutional affairs at the university, told a Built Environment Networking event in the city this month the university is considering 鈥渃ontributing to joint ventures鈥 to create affordable housing in the Cambridge city region.

Sanders warned a 鈥渃ritical shortage of homes at all income levels鈥 in the city was holding back the development of the university and the Cambridge city region as a whole.

Sanders said: 鈥淭he development of the University of Cambridge鈥檚 contribution to local, national and international economy and culture is currently constrained by poor transport connectivity and a lack of adequate or affordable accommodation for our postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, permanent staff and expansion space for research.鈥

To help address the problem the University of Cambridge has begun developing the 拢300m first phase of a massive housing-led scheme, North West Cambridge (pictured), which ultimately will deliver accommodation for 2,000 postgraduates, 1,500 key worker housing units, 1,500 market homes and other amenities and academic facilities.