Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has praised the developers of a Build To Rent community alongside the University of Cambridge.

Apache Capital and joint venture partners Nuveen Real Estate say that every home in phase two the new neighbourhood at Eddington, has been pre-let – ahead of opening within just six weeks of launch. The scheme is part of a University of Cambridge masterplan to the north west of the city.

The newly released properties form part of a 373-home community that mixes family houses with apartments for rent, one of the first of its kind in the UK. The first residents moved into the initial phase earlier this year, marking Cambridge’s first purpose-built rental community with on-site management and resident support.

Designed for long-term renters – such as those serving the city’s innovation and science economies, the scheme at Eddington offers a range of homes with private gardens and shared green spaces. Residents have access to a new pavilion, gym, yoga studio, private dining room, games room, cinema and co-working areas, all of which opened in September.

Pennycook visited the scheme and was met by Jamie Snary – executive director of asset management and operations at Apache Capital – who says: “We have been able to bring together global institutional capital and best-in-class design to create a remarkable project which has, crucially, proven popular with local families. It underpins the changing demographic of rental households in places like Cambridge who want high-quality homes in beautifully-crafted environments.

“We wholeheartedly believe this could be a model for the success of New Towns – and that thinking about community facilities, great architecture and infrastructure will be critical. We welcome Matthew Pennycook’s support.”