Oxford City Council is to discuss the next steps for the delivery of a major development including nearly 3,000 new homes in an urban extension to the south of Oxford.

Cabinet is expected to confirm how the council intends to work with fellow landowners Thames Water and Magdalen College on plans to develop an area of land south of Grenoble Road. The council has long held ambitions to develop this site, which sits between the A4074 to the west and Sandford Brake substation to the east, to help meet Oxford’s need for homes.

The site is largely within South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) boundaries and was incorporated in the SODC Local Plan 2011-2035 adopted last December. It will deliver nearly 3,000 new homes, with 2,480 of these expected during the period of this Local Plan.


SODC's Local Plan requires half of the homes to be affordable, with 35% of these at social rent, 40% affordable rent and 25% low cost home ownership – for example, shared ownership.

The proposed development – known as South Oxfordshire Science Village (SOSV) – will also feature an extension to the Oxford Science Park, new schools, open spaces, community facilities and shops, as well as improvements to sustainable travel. These could include a new Park and Ride and the reopening of the Cowley branch line at the science park.

SODC released the SOSV site from the Green Belt during the adoption of its Local Plan for "exceptional reasons" which include providing for Oxford’s unmet housing need – in particular the need for affordable housing – close to where that need arises. While Oxford’s own Local Plan supports the delivery of nearly 11,000 new homes by 2036, this will involve building up to the city’s boundaries and will still not be enough to meet Oxford’s housing needs.

SOSV will also contribute to the regeneration of Blackbird Leys as well as providing better sustainable travel and an extension to the science park.

The council will now work with Magdalen College and Thames Water to put a development agreement in place and begin the procurement of a master developer taking primary responsibility for the planning and delivery of the site. This approach has been identified as the best fit for SOSV as it minimises financial risk and allows the landowners to influence development of the site.

A planning application could be submitted in 2023.