Wolfson’s Housing Woes as Council Rejects Expansion

Picture this: you’ve made it into Cambridge, survived the DoS meetings, and even figured out how to cook pasta in your gyp. But then your college tells you there’s no room at the inn. That’s the reality for Wolfson students, after 179 full-time students in 2024–25 couldn’t be housed in college (Varsity, 2025).

Wolfson’s plan to fix things? Convert 40 Barton Road into affordable college accommodation. But Cambridge City Council has said thanks, but no thanks, ruling the college hadn’t shown the “exceptional circumstances” required to convert the property from residential use (Varsity, 2025).

Same Uni, Different Housing Lottery

Here’s the bigger issue: we’re all Cambridge students, but our living situations are worlds apart. Some colleges have sprawling estates with seemingly endless rooms. Others are left patching together accommodation plans year after year.

This isn’t just about comfort. Cambridge rent is brutal: the average monthly rent hit £1,763 in March 2025, more than £400 above the national average (Varsity, 2025). When a college can’t house you, your options are limited to the cut-throat rental market.

Meanwhile… More Homes Elsewhere

The council requires justification for loss of housing stock in order to preserve the fabric of the city, rejecting the plan’s merits despite the evident student housing crisis. Wolfson now has up to six months to appeal.

This ruling comes amidst broader housing developments, including approval for 292 new homes just outside Cambridge, paving the way for a wider 1,200-home development complete with shops, community hubs, and green space (Varsity, 2025).

Final Thought

Cambridge prides itself on being one university. But when some students get en-suites and others are priced into the rental wilds, it feels like a tale of two Cambridges. Maybe the real “exceptional circumstance” is expecting students to do world-class research while living out of a suitcase.