Cabinet, on 14 December 2022 (Delivery of Affordable Housing (Railway Lane and Marston Paddock)) 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 (referenced in paragraphs 3 to 10 of this report) and (ii) Marston Paddock, Butts Lane, Old Marston; and

2.     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 new homes at Railway Lane for the purpose of the delivery of 90 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 W.E Black Limited and Cantay Estates 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 90 affordable housing units at Railway Lane, 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 90 homes at Railway Lane into the HRA. Subject to this contract being in place, OCH(D)L will enter a contract with W.E. Black Limited and Cantay Estates Limited to purchase the land and development of these 90 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 90 affordable housing units for the City Council / HRA.

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