OX Place has completed a programme modernising empty council housing to provide bigger, adaptable homes for large families and people with changing mobility needs.
A growing family or lack of adaptable space can leave people trapped in an overcrowded or unsuitable home. OX Place’s extensions programme upgraded nine empty council homes across the city to help Oxford City Council provide a more flexible response to these needs.
The programme included changing internal layouts, a loft conversion, building extensions and providing ground floor bedrooms, shower rooms and other adaptable spaces. Two and three-bed homes were extended to create four and five-bed homes.
Empty homes were upgraded with new windows, enhanced insulation, energy efficient lighting and new wiring.
Making best use of limited remaining land for housebuilding in Oxford, the extensions programme also provided four new council homes in Blackbird Leys, Headington and Northway.
Built on large garden and corner plots, these included three three-bed houses and a five-bed house.
All nine existing and the four new homes have been let to households on the housing register.
The extensions programme was delivered in partnership with Jessop and Cook Architects and ODS.
Comment
“While big new housing developments inevitably catch the eye, we need initiatives like OX Place’s extensions programme to make the best use of what we already have. Upgrading and extending empty council housing helps us meet the need for bigger and more adaptable homes, while every new council home makes a life-changing difference.”
Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies
“It’s been a pleasure working with Jessop and Cook Architects and ODS to deliver the extensions programme. People’s lives change and that shouldn’t mean they get trapped in an overcrowded or no longer suitable home. The extensions project means providing the right home and meets a crucial need for Oxford City Council.”
Helen Horne, Managing Director at OX Place
“It has been great working with OX Place, ODS and others on this programme, to create new houses where possible, extend others and improve their energy efficiency to help lower energy bills. Seeing families enjoying the new homes afterwards always makes it worthwhile.”
Daniel Wadsworth, Director at Jessop and Cook Architects
"At ODS, we are proud to have delivered this ambitious programme, creating and modernising much-needed affordable homes for Oxford. By extending, altering, and even building new dwellings on previously underutilised sites, we have helped provide larger, more adaptable homes —particularly for families in need of extra space. Every home we delivered is a testament to our commitment to building a better Oxford."
Mitchell Carter, Head of Construction at ODS
Completed works
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ODS refurbished a three-bed house in Sandy Lane by converting a coal storage area and pantry into a modern utility room. The site was also suitable for building a new fully adaptable three-bed and a five-bed home. ODS used modular construction to build these, with prefabricated panels assembled onsite.
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A three-bed house in Pauling Road was reconfigured and refurbished to bring it up to fully adaptable modern standards and a new three-bed home built.
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A loft conversion in Weirs Lane added a fourth bedroom to a three-bed home.
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ODS extended a three-bed house in Sparsey Place to create a fully adaptable home with five bedrooms and two bathrooms.
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ODS modernised and extended a two-bed house in Union Street into a fully adaptable home with five bedrooms.
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ODS modernised a two-bed house in Foxwell Drive, with changes to the internal layout creating an extended kitchen and new bathroom. ODS also built a new three-bed house on the site using timber frame construction, solar PV panels and an air source heat pump.
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ODS extended a three-bed house in Valentia Road into a fully adaptable five-bed home which included a ground floor shower room and potential to turn another ground floor room into a sixth bedroom.
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ODS built rear and side extensions turning a three-bed house in Westlands Drive into a fully adaptable five-bed home with a ground floor bedroom and a potential shower room.
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By building rear and side extensions, ODS turned a three-bed house in Kempson Crescent into a fully adaptable five-bed home with level access and a ground floor bedroom and shower room.
Work at Sandy Lane, Pauling Road and Foxwell Drive was supported by a total of £246,000 in funding from Homes England.
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