THE amount of affordable housing that will be built at a key Oxford development remains unclear.

Oxford North is expected to provide 480 new homes for about 1,500 people and provide space for a further 4,500 jobs.

It has already been allocated £10m of Government funding and developers said they are in ‘positive discussions’ with authorities about the project.

It would be built on land between the Wolvercote Roundabout, the A34 and the Peartree Roundabout.

Oxford Mail:

But the proportion of homes that will be affordable is still uncertain, even though the plan is expected to be passed in a few months’ time.

Thomas White Oxford (TWO), on behalf of St John’s College, Oxford, submitted further papers to support its planning application on Thursday.

Last year it said it wanted to provide at least 120 affordable homes but that a ‘barrier’ to that was the cost of infrastructure – mostly roads – it would need to provide.

The city council normally asks for developers to allocate 50 per cent of their housing as affordable – but it is not unusual for that aspiration not to be met for major developments.

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Referring to the affordable housing that will be allocated at the site and its viability assessment, developers state: “That information will be submitted at a later date once discussions have concluded and we understand will be subject to public consultation at that time.”

Oxford North has been awarded Housing Infrastructure Fund money by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The county council has been given another £218m from that fund to boost infrastructure in and around the new Didcot Garden Town.

A consultation on TWO's updated plans will end on Saturday, April 27.

A TWO spokesperson said: “We continue to be in positive discussions with Oxford City Council and [Oxfordshire] County Council, as the highways authority.

“As you would expect with such a proposed new urban district that will be a mix of workspaces, homes, leisure, arts and culture, nursery, hotel and open green spaces, the city council is carrying out all necessary steps to ensure that it has every detail it needs to assess the planning application."

They added: “We have provided the additional information required and look forward to listening to and reviewing any further consultee feedback to help ensure that Oxford’s new business community is for the benefit of those living and working in the city and beyond and plays its part in contributing to and growing the economy.”

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The centrepiece of the development would be the Red Hall, which could be used as a community hub and a workspace for up to 300 people.

A model of it was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts' Summer Exhibition last June.