Affordable homes planned on former SEND site

Oxford City Council said the "underused" site was being used "for much needed social housing"

The building of affordable homes at the site of a former school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is expected to begin this summer.

Oxford City Council's housing company, OX Place, has partnered with private firm Equans to build 51 "sustainable" council and shared ownership homes off Sandy Lane West in Littlemore, Oxford.

This includes 27 flats let at social rent for people on the housing register, and 24 flats for shared ownership.

The development is planned for the site of the Northfield Hostel that closed in 2014 and was demolished last year.

The local authority said social rent levels would see "tenants typically pay around 40% of the rent a private landlord would charge for the same home".

The council said it was also "exploring planning permission for a further 10 homes on the hostel's adjacent sports field", which has been boarded up since the school closed.

It said they would be built once the 51 flats were completed.

Councillor Nigel Chapman, cabinet member for citizen focused services and council companies, said it was "good" the site was being exploited for a development "where the majority of homes will be much needed social housing" after a decade of being "underused".