Eco-efficient affordable homes reach completion in Milcombe, Oxfordshire

Living Space has handed the first tranche of 44 affordable homes over to Paradigm Housing Group at a £10 million scheme located off Oak Farm Drive in the North Oxfordshire village of Milcombe.

Living Space’s information states:

All homes across the 3.4-acre site are installed with eco-friendly air source heat pumps and are being delivered for affordable rent and shared ownership. A proportion of the new dwellings are being constructed to meet wheelchair adaptable Lifetime Home Standards.

The house designs across the spacious scheme are being constructed in either brick or ironstone, to reflect the appearance of the many traditional residences within the historic North Oxfordshire village. As each batch of new homes reaches completion, they will be handed over to Paradigm, ready for occupiers to move in. The whole scheme is scheduled for completion by the end of August.

Paul Breen, Managing Director of Living Space said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with Paradigm to ensure this much-needed affordable housing scheme aligns with the Government’s Future Homes Standard to lower carbon emissions. All 44 new homes are being installed with air source heat pumps to provide the residents with sustainable heating technology.

“Work on this project commenced last year and it has safeguarded and created new employment opportunities for north Oxfordshire. Thanks to the excellent site and supply chain management from our experienced onsite team, we have now reached the major milestone of being able to handover the first completed homes and welcome the first residents.”

The accommodation mix for the Oak Farm Drive development comprises nine one-bedroom properties, 14 two-bedroom homes, 14 three-bedroom houses, and seven four-bedroom houses. There is parking provision on site for residents and visitors. The site density is 38 dwellings per hectare, which is lower than typical densities for new affordable housing schemes.

Ian Baggaley, Assistant Director of Development Delivery for Paradigm Housing Group said: “We are always looking for opportunities to provide new homes in areas that lack affordable housing, such as in this historic and picturesque part of North Oxfordshire. These 44 highly sustainable new homes have been purpose-designed for affordable rent and shared ownership – so that depending on the needs of the family or individual, there will be a suitable and affordable option for them.”

Birmingham-based UMAA Architecture produced the working drawings for the scheme. Betts Associates is the Engineering Consultant, and Arcadis is the Employers Agent.

Milcombe is a charming Oxfordshire village located five miles southwest of the market town of Banbury. It benefits from a village green, local stores, a village hall, a 17^th Century pub, and a church dating back to the 13^th Century. It also enjoys excellent transport links to London, Oxford and the Midlands.

Living Space has a total of 890 residential plots under control, representing a combined value in excess of £131million. The business – which is the partnership arm of the WhatHouse? ‘Housebuilder of the Year’ Hayfield – is on track to deliver at least 20 developments over the next two years. The vast majority of the homes Living Space builds are delivered to Registered Providers (RPs) for affordable rent and shared ownership. Living Space sources the land, achieves Full Detailed Planning consent and builds the homes for the RP, enabling them to focus on the funding and management of high-quality homes for their residents.

Paradigm Housing Group owns and manages over 16,000 homes, mainly in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and eastern Oxfordshire. The company is building another 2,250 new homes over the next five years for sale, shared ownership and rent.

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