Approved at the Council meeting on 16 July 2026.

This Council commits to keep building more council homes to the highest quality and affordability, in order to help tackle the housing crisis in Cambridge and to reduce the number of families living in temporary accommodation or on the housing register. From the date of this resolution being agreed that no residential development in which the Council has an ownership interest, financial interest or development role shall proceed unless it achieves the following standards

• across all sites, as per the Portfolio Strategy at least 50% of the homes shall be affordable homes, with rents set as follows:
  • 10% at social rent: 40% - 45% of the median market rent
  • 65% at affordable rent: 60% of the median market rent
  • 25% at intermediate rent: 80% of the median market rent

This Council notes that the Labour government has now prioritised funding for social rents, so for schemes being built with grant funding from Homes England - this tenure mix will be changed to 60% of council homes for social rent (45% of market rent) and 40% at intermediate rent (80% of market rent).

Furthermore, this Council resolves that on any development that this council has an ownership interest, financial interest or development role:

1. ⁠All homes shall be developed to the Council's Sustainable Housing Design Guide which targets CamStandard for council homes being built now and to net zero standard from 2030.
2. ⁠Layouts must prioritise providing dual aspect homes and avoid single aspect where possible, whilst also ensuring for a maximum number of council homes to be built
3. As per current planning policy all sites shall have disabled parking, by right.
4. Subject to the provision of disabled parking, all developments shall be designed following the Cambridge sustainable housing design guide with a target of 0.5 car parking spaces per home. Where possible, car parking shall be provided in a separate stand-alone car park (so that in due course this can gradually be used for building more homes).
5. Any council land, or property, that is due to be sold will be done so, as per the Council's constitution.