£300,000 flats leave key workers stranded

Only London commuters will be able to afford flats being planned for Cambridge city centre, a local councillor has claimed.

Tariq Sadiq, who represents Coleridge on the city council, warned local residents would be priced even further out of the city, with only London workers and wealthy investors able to afford the flats.

The prime site Highland Homes want to create a 10-storey residential and retail development called Living Screens on the site of two former garages on the corner of Cherry Hinton Road and Hills Road.

The proposed development on the Marshall garage site and Shell petrol garage, opposite Cambridge Leisure park, could include up to 133 flats, shops, a cafe, residents' gym and 99 underground parking spaces.

It is thought a two-bedroom flat will go on the market for around £300,000, with 30 per cent of the scheme classed as affordable housing.

But Labour councillors say more affordable housing needs to be built - not exclusive luxury apartments.

Coun Sadiq said: "Cambridge is at crisis point. There are too many expensive flats shooting up in the city centre and the people that keep the city running - the teachers, nurses and college workers - are being forced out so London commuters and wealthy investors can buy a place in the city.

"The council isn't meeting its affordable housing targets - developers have a moral and social obligation to provide at least 40 per cent affordable housing in each development."

Jay Gort, architect for the Living Screens development, has admitted he would not be able to afford one of the flats himself.

Coun Tariq Sadiq Coun Sadiq said: "It is quite something when even the architect for the development can't afford to live there.

"If more of these developments go up, the impact on community spirit will be huge. Commuters who just sleep in a flat have no investment in the city.

"They have no reason to be a part of the community and to make an effort to make Cambridge a better place for everyone.

"The city council needs to take its responsibility to provide affordable housing seriously and should not keep sanctioning expensive flats which are totally unsuitable for families and totally unaffordable for people who are on average incomes."