West Oxfordshire District Council accelerates delivery of social housing and temporary accommodation

Councillor Geoff Saul, Executive Member for Housing and Social Care, said: "We understand the immense pressure that many West Oxfordshire residents face in finding affordable, secure housing in the district. We need to be building the right homes for those who need them most, in the right places. 

“We have seen a good number of affordable homes built in recent years, but we need more social rented homes that truly are affordable. As a Council we aren’t just sitting back and waiting for the system to deliver these homes – we are taking an interventionist approach to building them and there is a total of 240 over the current and next financial year.  

“By working collaboratively with partners, we have a number of schemes coming forward that will provide these homes across the district. We are also moving quickly to secure more temporary accommodation to help those who find themselves without a home – giving them somewhere to live while they get back into permanent accommodation.” 

78 social rented homes have been delivered in West Oxfordshire since May 2024, with an additional 162 social rented homes in the pipeline for completion by the end of 2025. This is on top of 125 other affordable tenure homes delivered since April 2024 and due by March 2025.  

The planned homes in locations such as Witney, Carterton, and Chipping Norton, as well as more rural locations, will offer truly affordable options for residents, with rents significantly lower than market rates. They will be delivered through strategic partnerships with local housing associations, innovative funding solutions, and targeted interventions in the housing market.  

To address the urgent demand for temporary housing, the Council has set a baseline target of delivering 30 additional bedspaces in temporary accommodation to support people facing homelessness by 2026. This accommodation will make sure people in crisis have somewhere to stay, reducing reliance on costly alternatives like bed and breakfast accommodation and providing them a safe space to get back on their feet.