Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook has visited Canalside Quarter, the first residential phase of the new Oxford North innovation district.

The 317 energy-efficient homes, designed by Pollard Thomas Edwards and developed by The Hill Group, include 111 affordable homes for Oxford City Council through its housing company, OX Place.

During his visit, held during National Apprenticeship Week, the Minister met apprentices Jamie Conway and Charlie McPhee, who are currently training with The Hill Group at Canalside, and Finley Grady, an apprentice with subcontractor T&D Electrical.

The homes, include one, two and three-bedroom apartments centred around a publicly accessible park, alongside three, four and five-bedroom houses, many with views over the canal.

The 64-acre innovation district also includes a million sq ft of labs and workspaces.

Mr Pennycook said: “It was a real pleasure to visit the Canalside Quarter development and to see the contribution it will make to the emerging Oxford North innovation district.

“The Government is backing housebuilders like The Hill Group to deliver more well-designed, sustainable, and attractive places for people to live and to expand and upskill our construction workforce as they do so.

“Through our Plan for Change we are accelerating the delivery of large housing sites across the country, as part of our efforts to build 1.5 million new homes and kickstart economic growth.”

Greg Hill, deputy chief executive of The Hill Group, said: “We are proud to show the Housing and Planning Minister the first homes at Oxford North, a landmark project that will help unlock future development in the region.

“This transformative district has the potential to play a crucial role in supporting the Government’s vision for the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor – by delivering high-quality homes alongside world-class research facilities and vital infrastructure.

“The Hill Group is perfectly placed to help support the Government reach its ambitious target of delivering 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament.

“We are excited about the opportunities with the new towns programme which will help to build thousands of new homes and hope to work together to deliver more transformative projects across the country that will revolutionise how communities live, work and interact with each other.”

Image (l-r): Caroline Green, chief executive, Oxford City Council; Ryan Harris, regional director, The Hill Group; Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook; Cllr Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council; Greg Hill, deputy chief executive, The Hill Group.

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