To authorise the transfer by purchase by Oxford City Council of the extended and refurbished 4 bedroom property delivered through the OCHDL Extensions programme. Contributing to the Council’s overall Affordable Housing provision.

To authorise the transfer by purchase of the land and housing at Cumberlege Close and Elsfield Hall from Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited to the Council’s Housing Revenue Account for a consideration of £ 13,427,300 in total.

An Officer Executive Decision dated 11 November 2019 authorised the transfer by purchase of the land and affordable housing at Elsfield Hall, Cumberlege Close and Between Towns Road from OCH(D)L to the Council’s Housing Revenue Account for a consideration of £16,825,000 in total, to include 56 affordable homes (33 rented and 23 shared ownership homes). The three sites are being built under a single construction contract so were dealt with as a single entity in the report. On 9 February 2021 OCH(D)L Board agreed to the proposed change of tenure at Elsfield Hall to become 100% affordable housing, consequently the approval needs to be updated accordingly to reflect the tenure changes. This decision deals with the Cumberlege Close and Elsfield Hall sites only, as they are joint in terms of planning and viability, and the Between Towns Road site will be dealt with separately at a later date.

Viability appraisals have been carried out for the transfer of these homes to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) which show that the scheme is within the parameters set for the HRA.

The purchase was a condition of the transfer of land to OCHL. To not agree to the purchase would represent a missed opportunity to deliver affordable housing.

Paul Leo, Director of Housing

Decision taken in consultation with the Head of Financial Services and the Head of Law and Governance.