Grant project approval to develop affordable housing at sites at Underhill Circus and Leiden Road;

Delegate authority to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, the Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer)  and the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy to enter into contracts and any other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivering affordable housing at Underhill Circus and Leiden Road.

The Leader of the Council decides as follows to:

1.    Grant project approval to develop brownfield land sites at Underhill Circus and Leiden Road for affordable housing;

2.    Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive Place  where they do not already have the authority under the Constitution,  in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, the Group Finance Director/Section 151 Officer and the Director of Law  Governance and Strategy/Monitoring Officer, to enter into contracts and any other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivering affordable housing at Underhill Circus and Leiden Road within the allocated Housing Revenue Account capital budget and business plan.

Underhill Circus

The Underhill Circus site is a brownfield site in the ownership of Oxford City Council (OCC).

The land is currently held in the General Fund. The land has been appropriated to a planning purpose by Cabinet in September 2025 and the intention is to appropriate it into the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), once planning permission has been secured, to develop affordable housing on this site.

The garages at Underhill Circus have been fully demolished with BLRF. These activities are being carried out in compliance with the grant conditions to ensure the site is ready for housing delivery.

There is no planning consent on this site as no planning application has been made for the housing delivery yet. The scheme remains at an early stage of development. It is expected that the site will deliver up to nine new homes at social rent although the number of units is subject to change as work progress through Planning.

There have been previous schemes proposed at this site which have not been able to progress for reasons of financial viability. A strong consultation and programme will be established with necessary contingency for additional design fees.   

£3.4 million have been approved for the budget of this scheme ensuring value for money for the Council.

Leiden Road

Leiden Road site is a brownfield site in the ownership of Oxford City Council (OCC). The site is located in Wood Farm and is currently occupied by two decanted bungalows. The site sits at the edge of Magdalen woods.

This scheme has been approved for feasibility study and a capacity study has been undertaken.

The full site, including the bungalows are currently held in the HRA.

As detailed above there is no planning consent on this site as no planning application has been made for the housing development. The scheme remains at a relatively early stage of development. It is expected that the site will deliver up to nine new homes at social rent although this is subject to change following feedback from Planning.

The Council is in contract with ODS and are working on the demolition of the bungalows on this site.

£2.7 million have been approved for the budget of this scheme ensuring value for money for the Council.