A disused former hostel in Lake Street is being brought back to life to provide nine council homes following a major refurbishment project by ODS.
Roken House had variously served as a hostel for young mothers and their children and ex-offenders since the 1960s, although there were lengthy periods when it lay empty.
It was vacant when Oxford City Council bought the site from Home Group in April 2022.
Legal duties introduced by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 mean there has been a significant increase in the need for temporary and settled housing for single people and couples without children in recent years.
Roken House will help meet this need by providing nine one-bed flats, which are now being let as permanent homes to people on the Council’s housing register.
Refurbishment works
Before refurbishment, Roken House had eight flats. An extra flat has now been created by reconfiguring the internal layout and converting two two-bed flats into three one-bed flats. All three have new kitchens and bathrooms.
Air source heat pumps to provide heating and hot water for all nine flats mean Roken House is now all-electric, helping the Council meet its carbon reduction targets by reducing reliance on gas.
Fire safety measures have been upgraded throughout the building. This work included new windows and fireproofing a flat roof to improve an escape route, a new fire alarm and misting systems in all flats to suppress the spread of fire.
Internal and external redecoration work included replacing low-level rendering to the rear of the building, where Roken House backs onto Hinksey Park.
ODS partnered with Jessop and Cook Architects to deliver the refurbishment.
Comment
“Roken House has too often been unloved and unused. It’s great to see ODS giving it a new lease of life. Most importantly, refurbishment of the building now means nine settled council homes for people on our housing register.”
Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities
"We are proud to have undertaken the major refurbishment of Roken House, a disused former hostel, bringing it back to life as nine council homes. The reconfiguration and modernisation of the flats, including the installation of air source heat pumps and upgraded fire safety measures, demonstrate our commitment to delivering high-quality, energy-efficient, and secure homes for the community."
Mitchell Carter, Head of Construction at ODS
Rate this page
