Council urges action on empty MOD homes to help meet local housing need

Following a motion agreed by councillors, Council Leader Councillor Andy Graham has written to the Minister for Veterans and People seeking a clear plan for unoccupied properties in Marlborough Crescent and Becketts Close. 

With many people struggling to find a home they can afford locally, the Council wants to explore whether the properties could provide social housing or temporary accommodation if the MOD decides to sell them. 

Average house prices in West Oxfordshire are almost ten times average earnings and around £80,000 above the national average. More than 2,800 local households are estimated to need affordable housing, with over 1,800 currently on the housing waiting list. Despite the total number of homes in the district nearly doubling over the past 40 years, the number of affordable rented homes has fallen. Increasing the supply of social rented housing is a Council priority, helping residents access secure homes at rents below private market levels. 

The Council understands that the last residents left in November 2024 and the homes have remained empty since. Bringing empty homes back into use could help address housing pressures while also responding to residents’ concerns about the properties’ condition and reports of anti-social behaviour nearby. 

Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Everyone deserves a safe, secure home they can afford, but for too many people in West Oxfordshire that is increasingly difficult to find. We need to explore every opportunity to increase the supply of affordable homes, including making better use of properties that already exist. 

“Seeing these homes standing empty is frustrating when there are families on our housing waiting list and people in need of temporary accommodation. I have written to the Minister asking for a clear plan for their future and for us to have the opportunity to explore their use as social housing if they are to be sold. 

“We want to work with the Ministry of Defence and housing partners to understand what is possible and whether these properties could help meet local housing needs.” 

In his letter, Councillor Graham asks whether the MOD intends to renovate the properties or demolish and regenerate the wider area and seeks details of the anticipated timescales and future use. He has also requested a meeting with the relevant MOD representatives. 

Decisions about the properties remain with the Government as their owner. The Council is seeking a constructive way forward that addresses local housing need and gives the Long Hanborough community greater certainty about the site’s future.