Affordable, zero carbon homes to be part-funded by council

A dozen zero carbon affordable homes will be built with help from South Oxfordshire District Council.

The homes will be built on the brownfield site at Culllum House in Wheatley.

South Oxfordshire District Council will use some of the money it gets from developers, known as Section 106 commuted sums, to help fund the affordable homes.

It’s part of a £5 million fund agreed by the council in its budget, from Section 106 money, to be spent on increasing the number of fit for purpose affordable homes in the district.

Councillor Robin Bennett, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said: “Providing homes that people can afford is a key goal for our administration, so I’m pleased we’ve been able to use developer contributions to help deliver this ambition.

“It’s even better that these homes will be zero-carbon as we are determined to help take action on the climate emergency. They should be cheaper to heat, saving our residents money too.

“This scheme is just one of many affordable housing developments we are helping to fund in the district as we know they are desperately needed in the district.”

The homes will be “affordable rent” – defined as charging up to 80 per cent of market rates for rent.

Non-profit Registered Provider of Housing Soha applied for the funding as it intends to redevelop the current building which contains 13 flats and bedsits that are no longer fit for purpose.

All the apartments and bedsits are currently unoccupied and planning consent for the demolition of the existing building and the development of 12 affordable, zero carbon, apartments, was granted in June 2022.

The new building is expected to take approximately 16 months to complete.

South Oxfordshire is already providing more than £1.2 million towards the cost of creating new affordable housing in Henley and Thame.