Fears sheltered housing could be sold for development by Cambridge City Council

Elderly residents of a city centre sheltered housing block have been told they will soon have to move out.

Stanton House in Christchurch Street is a 33-unit scheme, owned and run by Cambridge City Council. Residents were told it needs to be rebuilt or refurbished because of the small and outdated living spaces and rising maintenance costs.

But ward councillors say they believe that the Labour-run council is considering selling off the site for private development and claimed it represented creeping “gentrification” in the Kite area of the city.

Cllr Tim Bick, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition, said: “We don’t dispute that the current accommodation at Stanton House needs renewing and that will probably mean tenants having to move out while building work is done, as has occurred with other schemes. We know the council will accommodate them elsewhere and has already started that conversation with them.

“But our concern is that renewing Stanton House is not what looks like happening at all. Though it’s the reason being given to the current tenants for having to move, we are aware the council is considering selling off the site to make money from a private housing development.

“Even if the mainly elderly current tenants of Stanton House choose not to face further upheaval of moving back there after redevelopment, the important loss would be availability for future tenants. We don’t like the creeping assumption that convenient and well-integrated locations like this won’t be available for social tenants and that the diversity in areas like the Kite will be lost in favour of gentrification.

“We think social tenants shouldn’t be excluded from ‘desirable’ areas of the city and moved further and further out of the city centre. Stanton House in the Kite is a fantastic example of a diverse community working to everyone’s benefit, with surrounding residents regularly joining in coffee mornings together. You couldn’t have planned it better if you tried, but actually it’s been a natural product of location, history and people’s keenness to look after each other. All this will be lost if the council lets the site go to executive flats. We have good reason not to trust Labour’s promises on housing after their previous record of marketing homes on council-owned land to overseas investors.

“Net increases in council housing mixed with other housing types across the city should be the council’s objective, not withdrawing it from neighbourhoods through private land deals and substituting it in existing concentrations. We actually need more integration like we’ve already got in Christchurch Street.”

The Stanton House site has been in use for social housing for nearly 200 years, having previously served as a women’s refuge. Part of the wall of the refuge and a plaque dated 1841 remain today.

At a meeting with residents, the council explained the three options of the building were changing the internal layout, making the building bigger or redevelopment of the site.

A decision is expected to be announced in June. Cllr Bick (Lib Dem, Market) claims that he has been told redevelopment is the most likely outcome.

Cllr Bick and fellow Lib Dem Cllr Katie Porrer, who both represent Market ward, have launched a petition calling on the council to keep the Stanton House site in use for social housing after building work, whether that is for modernised sheltered housing or another form of council housing. It can be found at cambridgelibdems.org.uk/save-social-housingcambridgelibdems.org.uk/save-social-housing.

A Cambridge City Council spokesperson said: “Last year, current residents of Stanton House were asked for their views about their experiences of living there, in a survey and in individual meetings with council staff. Among the key themes to emerge were that Stanton House residents valued living close to the city centre, and benefitted from the strong sense of community there, which they wanted to continue.

“In a second consultation held recently, residents were asked about the possibility of relocation to a new facility at the East Road/St Matthews Street garage site. This could allow Stanton House residents to move there as a community if the Stanton House site is redeveloped. The scheme will require further consultation with the residents in the East Road/St Matthews Street area and would be subject to planning permissions being granted.

“No decision has yet been taken on the future of the Stanton House site should the new facility be developed. Options to be considered will include market housing and social housing. The approach will depend upon a range of factors including the financial position of the scheme, the costs and risks to the council and the availability of Homes England grant. Decisions will be taken at the housing scrutiny committee.”