Major new housing development in Kidlington gets green light

Developer The Hill Group has been given the go-ahead for a new residential development in Kidlington, north Oxfordshire, which will see 96 homes built on former green belt land.

The site, on land at Bicester Road and Water Eaton Lane in Gosford, Kidlington, was allocated for a wider housebuilding development in the Cherwell District Council local plan, for a total of 430 new homes to be delivered.

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A total of 50 per cent of the 96 new homes will be affordable, with a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as two-, three- and four-bedroom houses.

These will be provided for a combination of Shared Ownership and affordable rent accommodation, in partnership with housing association Sovereign Network Group (SNG).

The Hill Group has been given permission for a major housing development in Kidlington (Image: The Hill Group)

In addition to the mixed-tenure homes, the development will include formal and informal sports and plays areas for use by the new community.

All the private sale homes will be houses ranging from two to five bedrooms.

The Hill Group said the site has now been acquired by the housebuilder, after years of work to bring the site forward.

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Andy Hill OBE, founder and group chief executive of The Hill Group, said: “This planning consent is the result of nearly seven years of commitment, collaboration and determination from our planning team.

Andy Hill OBE, founder and group chief executive of The Hill Group (Image: The Hill Group)

“Bringing forward complex sites like this takes time, patience and a willingness to work closely with all stakeholders.

“We’re proud to have now reached this crucial stage, and of the strong relationships we’ve built with Cherwell Council, which have been fundamental in making this development possible.

“North Oxford has a clear need for private and affordable homes, and this development will deliver exactly that, alongside meaningful benefits for the wider community.”

It comes after Kidlington was awarded town status in February this year, following a unanimous vote from the parish council and a public consultation, granting the green belt around the town greater protection under new Government planning regulations.

Councillors said the town status would make Kidlington more defensible from “land grabs” and prevent it from being absorbed into Oxford.

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As part of the planning agreement, half a hectare of land from the housebuilder will be donated to the parish council for an extension of the town’s cemetery, to help support Kidlington’s ‘long-term needs’ with a key piece of infrastructure, according to the developer.

Jenny Grote, the land a business new business director south for SNG, the housebuilder’s partner provider, said: “We have an extremely positive and long-standing relationship with Hill and are delighted to be working together once again to bring forward a range of high-quality, much-needed, affordable homes in Kidlington that will make a real difference to local people.”

Construction is set to begin later this spring with the first homes being completed in the spring of next year.