100 new homes planned for Cotswolds village home to 1,256

Developers are eyeing up around 18 acres of land east of Litchfield Farm in Lidstone Road, Enstone for the new houses, some of which would be affordable housing.

Plans outlined to West Oxfordshire District Council including affordable housing, school drop off and pick up area, public open space, landscaping, and associated infrastructure.

Enstone Primary School (Image: Motacilla)

Family-owned developer Croudace Homes is behind the project, a firm responsible for Priory Grove in North Oxford and Willowbrook Park in Didcot.

Discussions held with planning officials revealed they would look unfavourably at 150 homes as initially proposed, Croudace said.

Enstone is class as a 'tier three village' in the emerging Local Plan, meaning it is suitable only for small to medium-scale growth.

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Agents for Croudace say Enstone is a "sustainable village" comprising "a number of local services" including Enstone Primary School, a post office/shop and parish hall.

As well as up to 100 new homes, the developer has proposed constructing a primary school drop off and pick up area with 14 spaces, associated infrastructure, open space, landscaping and a potential new access off Cox’s Lane.

Post Office and village shop (Image: Motacilla)

Half the homes would be deemed affordable and would be "high-quality" to help meet the "pressing need" for new housing in West Oxfordshire, the agents said.

They added: "The provision of new dwellings would help sustain existing services and facilities.

"The site is well located to access the village, as well as good public transport links to the wider area.

"In addition, the construction phase will provide employment for small scale local construction firms and contractors.

"The development will assist West Oxfordshire District Council with its housing land supply shortfall, which at the time of writing is significantly below five years.

"The proposed dwellings will be in a sustainable location and will therefore contribute to overall housing provision in the district as a whole.

"The proposal will contribute towards boosting the supply of housing in an area with significant affordability issues and a current land supply deficit.

"It will meet a particularly acute housing need in the district for smaller family housing opportunities and offers choice beyond large scale volume development sites. This is of substantial positive weight."

In recent years, Enstone has seen 29 new homes built all for social rent and shared ownership on a 4.23 acre site near the village.

Built by Orbit Homes, all homes at Enstone Leys are now sold.

The current population of Enstone is around 1,256 people.