Green light for The Hill Group to deliver first 317 new homes at Oxford North

The reserved matters application (RMA) at Oxford North’s Canalside for the project’s residential development partner, The Hill Group to deliver the first 317 new homes has been resolved to be approved by Oxford City Council’s planning committee at a meeting held on Thursday 22 September 2022.

With outline planning permission for Oxford North’s overall masterplan granted in March 2021 for 480 new homes across the project, Hill made the application for the detailed design of the first 317 homes on Canalside, south of the A40.

Ranging from one bedroom apartments to five bedroom family homes, there will be a mix of both private sale and affordable new homes.

Featuring a range of low carbon living initiatives, the energy efficient homes will include air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. Further measures include initiatives to reduce water consumption, electric car charging points and extensive cycle storage.

The new homes will be designed around a central landscaped park complete with play areas, meadow grassland, an activity lawn and a network of pedestrian and cycle paths to facilitate the health and wellbeing of the community. Extensive planting, green and brown roofs and orchard planting including over 200 new trees will significantly enhance the biodiversity of the overall development.

The new homes construction is due to start this winter and will provide a welcome boost to the local economy as part of Oxford North’s Training, Employment and Skills strategy, which is a commitment to recruiting local labour. Offering training opportunities to people in both traditional and green construction skills, Hill will also maximise local procurement opportunities.

Since August 2021, Hill has been on-site since delivering Oxford North’s enabling infrastructure works and has created more than 250 jobs including four apprenticeships. Pictured below is Alex from Kidlington who is first generation construction and has joined Hill Group as a trainee site manager at Oxford North for the enabling infrastructure works.

Andy Hill, chief executive at The Hill Group commented: “We are delighted to achieve planning for Canalside and look forward to working with Thomas White Oxford to deliver these much-needed high-quality, sustainable homes at Oxford North. This landmark project will also generate significant employment opportunities and we welcome applicants, particularly from the local area, who will benefit from our comprehensive training and development programmes.”

William Donger, chief executive officer, Thomas White Oxford said: “We welcome the planning committee’s decision to approve these much needed new and affordable homes so that The Hill Group can start on-site. This is another major step in delivering Oxford North as a new innovation district designed for living, working and visiting and we look forward to seeing these new homes being built and jobs created.”

Acting on behalf of The Hill Group were: Pollard Thomas Edwards, Meinhardt, Vectos, Savills, LDA Design and Max Fordham.

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