Oxford housing completions exceed planning targets

The Council has released its Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) 2023/24, which assesses the implementation and effectiveness of planning policies in helping deliver its strategic priorities. 

The AMR gives a comprehensive overview of how many homes have been given planning permission and how many have been built in Oxford.  

It also helps the Council track progress towards building vibrant communities and a local economy that works for everyone by providing detailed data and analysis on other key housing and employment indicators. 

Delivering new homes 

Since the start of the current Local Plan period in 2016/17, 4,145 net new homes have been completed - exceeding the plan’s target of 4,076 net new homes to date. Affordable homes account for 998 completions. 

In 2023/24, a net total of 365 homes were completed in Oxford.  

While few developments delivered new affordable homes during the year, 61 new homes completed were affordable: 

• 26 homes completed by the Council‘s own housing company OX Place at Bridges Cross, including 18 council and 8 shared ownership homes 

• 11 homes in Barton Park, let at social rent by OX Place 

• 10 council homes in Warren Crescent, built by OX Place 

• 7 Peabody shared ownership homes in Newman Place 

• 5 SNG homes at St Frideswide Farm, including 3 let at social rent and 2 shared ownership homes 

• 1 council home in Foxwell Drive, built by ODS as part of OX Place’s extensions programme 

• 1 additional council home at Roken House, built during ODS’ refurbishment of a disused former hostel 

Reflecting the Council’s commitment to providing more affordable homes, 49 of the 61 affordable homes were on council-owned land. These developments generally have a much higher proportion of affordable homes than the Council’s 50% affordability requirement – 40% social rent and 10% in other affordable tenures - for sites of more than 10 homes. 

A total of 280 market homes were also built – the highest number of market homes in eight years. 

An equivalent of 34 homes was completed in student accommodation, with an equivalent loss of 10 homes in key worker communal accommodation at the John Radcliffe hospital. 

Planning permissions 

Planning permission has been given for 4,620 net new homes since the start of the Local Plan period.  

The annual number ebbs and flows. With no big developments like Oxford North or Phase 3 of Barton Park coming through planning in 2023/24, permission was granted for 178 homes. These included 90 affordable homes at the former Dominion Oils site in Railway Lane (50.6% of permissions). 

On sites with more than 10 homes, the Local Plan stipulates 40% must be for social rent, with a further 10% for other affordable housing. Most permissions were for small developments of fewer than 10 homes which did not meet the threshold for providing affordable housing. 

Housing land supply 

Councils are required to show they have planned for future housing needs by identifying sites homes can be built on. There are enough specific deliverable sites in Oxford to provide 5.93 years' worth of housing.  

Infrastructure 

A parallel Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) details how developer contributions from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 (s106) agreements have been used to deliver infrastructure projects. 

The CIL is a fee charged per square metre. The Council collected nearly £5.7 million in CIL and sent out demand notices for a further £4.8 million during the year.  

More than £1.7 million was spent on a range of infrastructure projects. These included the Gasworks Pipe Bridge, East Oxford Community Centre, Oxford Burial Meadow and citywide cycling improvements, as well as payments to parish councils and neighbourhood forums.  

The council received £193,670 from s106 agreements and entered into a further £655,484 in agreements during the year. A total of £1,830 was spent on improving sports and play facilities, recreational green spaces and contributing towards affordable housing. 

Comment 

“Our latest figures show housebuilding continues to exceed planning targets, reflecting the Council’s commitment to addressing Oxford’s housing needs. Since 2016, over 4,100 homes have been delivered, surpassing the expectations set out in our Local Plan 2036. A determination to build the homes needed by our diverse community remains at the heart of our planning policies.  

“Money collected from developers helped us deliver more than £1.7 million in infrastructure projects. This enables us to ensure everyone benefits from developments in Oxford. Using money levied on new buildings allows us to improve community facilities and green spaces, build council homes, and allows parish councils and neighbourhood forums to spend on local projects.” 

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Planning

Both reports are available to download from papers for the Scrutiny Committee meeting on 1 December: 

AMR 2023/24 (PDF) 

IFS 2023/24 (PDF)