Willing landowners are being sought in a new bid to boost affordable housing schemes in the villages of west Oxfordshire.

The district council is in talks with 12 parishes in the area, but in virtually all cases the chances of them seeing the light of day depend on owners agreeing to sell land at below market value.

The initiative comes after a ten year history of trying to provide small-scale housing developments. Only 162 homes have been built during that period on so-called "rural exception sites" where planning consent would not normally be given.

The council's projects officer Mike Robinson said: "Wherever you build these houses, there is no problem in filling them.

"The need is there, across the social spectrum, including professional people like teachers.

"The problem is in finding the sites where landowners agree to meet the local need.

"But we are hopeful that more projects will go forward."

The next scheme to become available is at Ticknell Piece in Charlbury where an extra 20 affordable homes are being built, in addition to the 24 already occupied. They are due to be finished by late August, early September.

Projects that have so far been built in west Oxfordshire are: 31 at Bampton, 24 at Charlbury, 16 at Tackley, 15 at Woodstock, 13 at Kingham, 12 each at Hailey and Fulbrook, 10 at Shipton-under-Wychwood, eight each at Enstone and Langford, seven at Wootton, and six at Ascott-under-Wychwood.

The council is also hoping for feedback from the public on affordable housing in the district. It is part of the district's Local Plan consultation and comments have to be in by June 27.

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