Investigation is launched into housing need (From Oxford Mail)

Investigation is launched into housing need

9:30am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News

AN investigation into the county’s housing needs has been launched.

Carried out by a team of independent consultants, it is hoped the study will identify areas for development.

One of those could be Oxford’s Grenoble Road site. The city council hopes at least 2,000 homes can be built on Green Belt land it owns there, despite opposition from South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC).

City council leader Bob Price said: “These studies don’t usually go down to specific sites, but it could recommend the Grenoble Road site.

“One of the objections to building there is that Oxford doesn’t need housing, but the evidence is fairly convincing that it does.”

The Oxfordshire Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Partnership, which commissioned the report, is made up of all the county’s district councils and the county council and is a forum for liaising on planning issues.

Oxford City Council has long wanted to build 4,000 homes on the land south of Grenoble Road, which falls within SODC’s boundaries.

But in June, Mr Price offered to cut the number of homes by half to get negotiations moving – though in December it emerged talks had stalled.

It is expected the study will be completed by the autumn.

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