Work is under way on a new development that will deliver 80 affordable homes.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held on June 18 at the site in Old Marston, located near Mill Lane, with Oxford City Council representatives in attendance.
Of the 80 homes, 32 will be delivered for social rent and 48 for shared ownership.
All the new homes will be affordable, including homes for social rent, where residents typically pay around 40% of local private rents, and shared ownership, offering a flexible route onto the housing ladder in one of the UK’s most unaffordable cities (Image: Oxford City Council)
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Cllr Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and communities at Oxford City Council, said: “It is fantastic that we are marking the ground-breaking here in Old Marston. This is a significant milestone, a first step towards creating 80 new homes that will provide more affordable options for local people.
“These are desperately needed, beautifully designed new homes available both for social rent to council tenants, and for residents looking to take their first step onto the housing ladder via shared ownership.
“We are proud to be breaking new ground, building the next generation of high-quality, affordable and environmentally sustainable council homes in every corner of the city.”
Cllr Linda Smith (Image: Oxford City Council)
The development is being delivered by OX Place, the council’s housing company, and will offer one-bedroom apartments alongside two, three and four-bedroom houses, all designed to reflect the character of Old Marston and the surrounding Conservation Area. Features will include light brick and stone façades, red and grey tiled roofs, and timber weatherboarding.
Front gardens framed by low stone walls and hedgerows, along with cottage-style planting, aim to help the neighbourhood blend naturally into its surroundings.
New pedestrian and cycle links will connect the development to Cumberlege Close and nearby public rights of way.
A new green area along the western edge will provide accessible public open space with views to the countryside alongside natural play areas for both new residents and the wider community.
The homes will be built to high environmental standards using a fabric-first approach to minimise heat loss and energy demand. They will include solar panels and high levels of insulation.
Houses will be heated with air source heat pumps, while apartments will use heat pumps for hot water. The site will also feature sustainable drainage systems such as permeable paving, swales and an attenuation pond to manage surface water.
Wildflower meadows, flowering lawns and wetland habitats will support local biodiversity.
Construction is expected to take just over two years, with completion scheduled for late 2028. All 80 homes will be classed as affordable housing.
Social rent properties will typically be around 40 per cent of local private rents, while the shared ownership scheme is intended to help people onto the property ladder in one of the UK’s most unaffordable cities.
Roger Thompson, managing director of OX Place, said: “We are proud to be starting work in earnest here at Old Marston, and following today’s ground-breaking ceremony we look forward to delivering 80 much-needed affordable homes on behalf of Oxford City Council.”
