Willmott Dixon has commenced at Lucy Faithfull House, a flagship Oxford housing scheme that will form part of Oxford City Council’s development programme.

Procured using the SCF framework, the £10.9m project will see the delivery of a four to six storey residential building, creating a mixture of one and two bedroom apartments across 36 flats. Works will also include the creation of associated communal and amenity areas, as well as storage for bikes and parking provision for two adaptable disabled flats. Almost 75% of the properties will form affordable housing, offering social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership options. The remaining 10 flats will be for private sale, with money generated from the sales being invested into the city’s affordable housing.

Located in the heart of Oxford and due to open in late 2022, the project is part of the council’s ambitions to deliver nearly 1,900 homes through its housing company, Oxford City Housing Ltd (OCHL). Sustainability will also play a key role, with all properties within the development operating at 40% below current government carbon reduction targets, aiding Oxford on its journey to zero carbon for new developments by 2030.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for planning and housing delivery, said:

“Oxford needs homes and this flagship project will see OCHL deliver 36 new low carbon homes in the heart of our city. It will also help us tackle the systemic inequality produced by a broken housing market, providing 15 council homes at social rent and another 13 sub-market homes for affordable rent or shared ownership.”

Helen Horne, managing director at OCHL, said:

“Redeveloping the former Lucy Faithfull House site will provide much-needed homes in the city centre and OCHL are pleased to now be working with Wilmott Dixon to help deliver these. These are early days, but this project is an integral part of our plans to build nearly 1,900 sustainable new homes in the coming decade.”

Richard Poulter, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon’s Central South region said:

“We are delighted to have started on site at Lucy Faithfull House, a project that will play an important role in OCHL delivering the council’s ambitious housing development programme.

“The requirement from the council to deliver a building with sustainability at its heart fits well with the principles of our organisation. Through our 2030 ‘Now or Never’ sustainability strategy, we are on our own journey to achieve net zero carbon in operation within the next decade.”

Commencing at Lucy Faithfull House marks the latest in a proud history of supporting councils to deliver affordable housing for Willmott Dixon. In neighbouring Wiltshire, its team of residential experts are working with Swindon Borough Council on the first two phases of their Queens Drive housing schemes, creating more than 150 much needed homes across a combination of houses and apartments.