Oxfordshire councillor: 'Lack of affordable housing in Kidlington'

Cherwell’s planning committee considered an application on March 9 for the development of 15 new apartments on the Kidlington Garage site on the corner of Bicester Road.

The developers Sweetcroft Homes were successful in removing the condition that they paid £609,000 for offsite affordable housing. 

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Kidlington East Councillor Ian Middleton has said the decision was an example of “government policy holding councils to ransom”.

A report submitted by Sweetcroft Homes said they could not meet the requirement to build affordable homes and make a profit.

In the first application, Sweetcroft Homes’ obligation to build 5 off site affordable housing units was included but was later dropped.

Kidlington garage (Image: Contributed)

Government legislation allows developers to not build affordable housing if it will prevent their ability to guarantee a profit margin of 20 per cent.

Mr Middleton was on the planning committee and he proposed a motion to refuse the application unless the £609,000 was forthcoming.

The motion was supported by the Liberal Democrats, Green party councillors and independents but it was defeated after Conservative members voted against and Labour members abstained.

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Mr Middleton said: “The way that Cherwell’s policy is written allows developers a loophole to slip through.

“There’s an acute lack of affordable housing in Kidlington.

“It should be a matter of principle for the council to ensure all such developments contribute towards solving the problem.”

Mr Middleton said it was frustrating that “Kidlington families are not regarded as important by Cherwell’s current leadership”.

Conservative district councillor Maurice Billington missed the planning committee meeting due to personal circumstances but said he would not have voted in favour of permission being granted.

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He said: “I would have voted against the decision going ahead as I’m concerned about the lack of affordable housing being built in the area.”

Green district councillor Fiona Mawson, who sat on the planning committee, criticised Cherwell Council for the lack of affordable housing and said it was unlikely any new affordable housing would be built in the immediate future.

Green councillor Fiona Mawson (Image: Contributed)

Ms Mawson said: “In the last five years, 90 apartments have been built as part of larger developments in Kidlington, but only three have been affordable.

“I can’t see Kidlington ever getting any affordable housing in the near to medium term.

“Decisions like these set a precedent.

“Cherwell needs to take a more robust position with developers, or we won’t have a chance.”

A Cherwell District Council spokesman said: “Before making recommendation to members to approve this application, officers commissioned an independent review of the applicant’s assessment of the financial viability of this development, at the applicant’s expense.

“We will be monitoring the progress of the development as it is brought forward and have a mechanism in place to claw back affordable housing contributions if the development proves to be more profitable for the developer than so far projected.

“Delivery of affordable housing across the district is a key priority for the council and we will always work to achieve this through the planning system.”