Thomas White Oxford (TWO), the development company of St John’s College, and its residential partner Hill Group, have launched their public consultation to share emerging plans for around 318 new homes, public park and access roads at Oxford North’s Canalside.

With outline consent granted earlier in the year for the overall 64-acre masterplan and detailed consent for the first phase of commercial development, link road and new park in the Central area, TWO and Hill Group have worked on the detailed plans for 318 new homes, of which 111 (35%) will be available as affordable homes. Of these affordable tenures, 80% will be provided as social-rental homes, with a further 20% provided for shared ownership.

Delivered in tandem will be new, landscaped, open spaces which will encourage community interaction, enhancement of biodiversity and new places for the wider public to enjoy.

The partnership is committed to provide a new sustainable place for Oxford North which promotes exemplar levels of sustainability above the local policy targets.

Canalside will provide for:

- all homes, both flats and houses, to be heated only using electricity. There will be no gas-heated buildings

- levels of carbon consumption will be better than national policy requirements by more than 70%, thus future-proofing Canalside for all future improvements in national policy

- energy-producing systems exploration, such as photovoltaic panels, that further reduce carbon emissions.

The new homes will meet the changing way homes are used, to include:

- generous and creative storage space

- dedicated home-working spaces

- generous living spaces that open onto outdoor spaces.

The partnership now seeks the community's views via an online public consultation to help shape their plans before the submission of Reserved Matters Applications later in the year.

Andy Hill, chief executive, Hill Group, said: “Development at Canalside will deliver high-quality new homes with access to community facilities and green open spaces making this a desirable place to live. The mix of housing is in accordance with the Area Action Plan (AAP) and has helped to encourage a balance of residents, with young and old, families and singles all living together.

"New amenities provide a range of facilities and services for local people which complements the facilities available in neighbouring areas for the benefit of the wider community. We encourage views from across the community which will help to inform and shape our proposals.” 

William Donger, director, Thomas White Oxford, added: “We are working with Hill as an experienced residential development company to deliver the first phase of new homes at Oxford North. The emerging plans ensure that Canalside will promote high-quality architectural design and urban planning to be a great place to live and visit.”

Canalside forms a crucial part of the overall Oxford North project. It sits along the south-western boundary, to the south of the A40. The overall masterplan is for 480 new homes, the balance of which will be in Central and Eastside and subject to future public consultation and reserved matters applications.

The public consultation for Canalside’s new homes will open on Monday 13th September 2021 at 9am and close on Monday 27th September 2021 at 9am.

The emerging plans can be viewed at https://oxfordnorth.commonplace.is/.

As part of consultation communications, a leaflet will arrive with 3,500+ people living locally with copies available around 20+ public and local venues.

You can view this leaflet by visiting our Downloads page.

Acting on behalf of Thomas White Oxford are Gardiner & Theobald, Fletcher Priest Architects, Stantec, Townshend Landscape Architects, Hoare Lea and Savills. Acting on behalf of Hill Group are Pollard Thomas Edwards, LDA Design, Max Fordham, Meinhardt, and Savills.