Latest Oxfordshire Rural Housing Partnership Newsletter

The times may be challenging but the ORHP continues to deliver much needed affordable homes

Like many others, the ORHP is awaiting the outcome of the government consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework.  The new regulations are expected around the end of March and could signal the end of the Rural Exception Site policy, which has provided almost 400 homes for local people across Oxfordshire since 2003.

Above: 3-unit East Hendred RES development, opened by Ed Vaizey MP in July 2011

The government has suggested, in order to bring forward more land and to make sites more financially viable, that a mix of open-market and affordable homes for local residents may be permitted in rural villages.  Watch this space...

In the meantime, since the last bi-annual newsletter in July 2011, the ORHP has continued to deliver new affordable homes in accordance with existing policy.  Developments have been completed at Hornton (4 homes) and Blewbury (14) with landowner agreement and/ or planning permission achieved on several other sites-eventually yielding over 120 homes.

The latest newsletter can be found here and is also available in the Library section of the website.