Vale of White Horse to give £344,000 towards building affordable homes in Botley

Vale of White Horse District Council has agreed to allocate £344,000 to help build eight new affordable homes at Dean Court on Eynsham Road, Botley which falls in Cumnor Parish area.

Members agreed to provide the funds to the Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT) using Section 106 contributions – money that developers have paid as part of agreements to build new developments in the district.

OCLT is seeking to use the money towards building eight energy efficient homes.  The apartments could include high levels of insulation and PV solar panels to reduce carbon emissions and to help reduce the running costs for its occupants.  The one and two bed apartments will be available for an affordable rent with priority given to residents living in or having connections with the local area. 

Cllr Andrew Crawford, Cabinet member for Finance and Corporate Assets, said: “Now the OCLT application has the go ahead, it will mean that we are a step closer to helping to provide genuinely affordable homes for our local residents that use sustainable materials to help us to tackle the climate emergency – these are two of our main aims for the council over the next few years.”

Bob Colenutt, Chair of OCLT, said: “The Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT) is delighted by the decision by the Vale to support the development of new affordable housing at Dean Court in Cumnor.

“By holding the land in trust, OCLT will be able to provide permanently affordable cooperatively run housing for those in housing need in the Vale.”

The Council meeting took place online on Wednesday 24 March at 7pm.