Cabinet, on 14 December 2022, resolved to:

1.    Grant project approval for the continued acquisition of affordable dwellings developed by OCHL for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of:

(i)     Railway Lane, Littlemore and

(ii)   Marston Paddock, Butts Lane, Old Marston;

2.   Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development), in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance, to approve and facilitate the license to occupy and develop the council owned site in order to facilitate the development within this project approval for Railway Lane, Littlemore; and

3.   Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Executive Director (Communities and People), the Cabinet Member for Housing, the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer and the Head of Law and Governance,to enter into agreements and facilitate the agreed purchase by the Council of these developments, with all the affordable housing units from OCHL to be held in the HRA,within this project approval for the Railway Lane and Marston Paddock sites.

To enter into a development agreement with Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited for the sale and construction of units at Marston Paddock for the purpose of the delivery of 40 new affordable homes for the HRA.  The agreement is between OCC and OCH(D)L and supports OCH(D)L’s sale and development agreement with Lucy Developments Limited.

Cabinet, on 14 December 2022, gave project approval for the continued acquisition of affordable dwellings developed by OCH(D)L for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of: (i) Railway Lane, Littlemore and (ii) Marston Paddock, Butts Lane, Old Marston.  The decision enables the delivery of 40 affordable housing units at Marston Paddock, contributing to the City Council’s affordable homes delivery programme.

The contract between OCC and OCH(D)L provides the legal underpinning of the acquisition of 40 homes at Marston Paddock into the HRA. Subject to this contract being in place, OCH(D)L will enter a contract with Lucy Developments Limited to purchase the land and development of these 40 homes. These new homes form part of the OCH(D)L and HRA business plans, and as such meet both organisations’ objectives.

Not to enter into the development agreement.  This option was rejected as it would not enable the delivery of 40 affordable housing units for the City Council / HRA.

Decision taken by Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) in consultation with Peter Matthew, Interim Executive Director (Communities and People); Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services; Emma Jackman, Head of Law and Governance; and Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing.