The Deputy Chief Executive – City and Citizen Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities; the Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer); and the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) to enter into agreements and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of all the affordable housing units from OCHL within this project approval, for Mill Lane, Marston.

The cost of the contract is restricted as per section 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

1.    Approve and agree; to enter into agreements and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of all the affordable housing units from OCHL within this project approval, for Mill Lane, Marston.

The decision to enter into a Development Agreement with Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited (OCH(D)L) to facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of all the affordable housing units from OCHL, for Mill Lane, Marston on completion -  enables the delivery of 80 affordable new homes – which supports the Council's strategy and priority of providing more affordable housing. This initiative contributes to the Council's affordable homes delivery programme.

The option to not develop the site would impact the Council’s affordable housing target to meet housing need and also consequent impacts from not developing the allocated site set out in the local plan.

If OCH(D)L does not deliver this scheme it would impact on the OCH(D)L Business Plan and the delivery approach envisaged in the affordable housing programme and in the decisions made by the Cabinet.  The approach of using OCH(D)L as the development manager for this scheme is an alternative, but this scheme is viable for, and has been brought to this point as, an OCH(D)L scheme, with the Council making the purchase (into the HRA) on completion.  This is reflected in the Council’s budget and the HRA Business Plan.