The Combined Authority for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough met on 26 July with various stakeholders and agreed £4.56m is to be spent on the first tranche of 253 affordable homes on sites where planning permission already exists and where work will start this year.  The money is part of the £100m secured from the government last year for new affordable homes in Cambridgeshire.

Of the houses, 95 will be in Peterborough, 48 each in South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, 36 in Fenland and 26 in East Cambridgeshire.

A centre for skills is also to be established to coordinate skills training provision, with a pay and progression pilot for the health and care worker sector, using funding secured from the government.

Cllr Peter Topping, Portfolio Holder of New Homes and Communities for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "Affordable housing is a huge issue in South Cambridgeshire because of the unprecedented growth in the district.

"People doing vital and worthwhile jobs such as nursery teachers, nurses and communications engineers simply cannot afford to live here unless we do something – so I'm delighted to see South Cambs is included in the Authority's plans.

"One of the key outcomes of the meeting is a commitment from housing providers to support small local house builders – a real opportunity for high quality affordable homes being built more quickly."

"But it is crucial our plans for housing are shaped by good and early cooperation with provider partners across the region so our ideas and, importantly, delivery of our ambitions are much more likely to be realised.

James Palmer, the new Mayor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, said: "Housing is one of the most important elements of my 100 day plan.  I wanted to ensure we hit the ground running with provision and funding so local people can see how seriously we are taking the problems they are facing today – our meeting last Monday with the region's industry specialists and its successful outcome will help us to achieve our ambitious long term targets."

The Combined Authority received a £100m housing and infrastructure fund from central government to deliver new affordable homes, including rented and shared ownership housing, over a five-year period in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge has received a separate ring-fenced £70m grant fund to build more council rented homes in the city.

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South Cambridgeshire District Council

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