The Parish Council’s agent and partner developer, Thomas Homes, submitted full plans for the Community Hub development of forty-five new homes, a new village hall and importantly, a new primary school in 2023 and were given delegated approval of the plans in early 2024.
This approval was subject to the completion of a S106 Planning Agreement which sets out the obligations surrounding the application such as contributions to the cost of waste collection and recycling facilities.
South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) drafted the S106 which then went to Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) for its input. OCC Officers made significant and expensive demands when they eventually replied in early 2025.
Unfortunately during these delays, Thomas Homes decided to cease trading due to the age and health of the two main directors. Before winding down, they revealed that due to the costs of building works going up at a faster rate than the price of new homes and because of the expensive requirements in the S106, the proposal was no longer financially viable.
The driver for the development is to replace our ageing village school. We are very fortunate that we have the offer of a site at a very much reduced cost. The plan is for the profit from the homes to pay for the new school and also a new village hall. This would mean the current school and village hall sites can be redeveloped and contribute to the cost of building the new facilities. This was all set out in our Neighbourhood Plan which was adopted by SODC in 2022.
With Thomas Homes no longer available, we have been fortunate to find a new developer to look at the scheme. Pye Homes from Kidlington feel that they may be able to come up with a revised proposal that will be financially successful, and hope to have a workable project within a few months.
Councillors will meet with Pye Homes regularly to monitor progress.
Thank you very much for this positive update. A blast from the past, Pye built our first flat in Kidlington, over 40 years ago.
Hopefully their longevity will ensure the community hub finally rejuvenates the village facilities.
I hope the well designed variety of housing will not be changed for little boxes all the same and spoil the area and well thought out lay out of the original plans!
The PC has put so much into this project We all need to get behind them for the future
Of our village and the next generation
Thank you to our Parish Council for not giving up, former Cllr Rose & Cllr Brown have put so much time and energy into this fantastic project that will protect Village life for the future that it would be a complete shame not to get it over the line.
Is there anything at all that residents could do to help to persuade OCC to give us the green light?
It would be a massive boost to the village to have a modernised school and grounds for the next generation to grow. I really wish we could get a shop in the plans though. Most villages have a small shop and would save us all from having to travel as much leading to even more congestion on the through road that is already too busy.
Yes, congrats to the PC for being so tenacious. I like your thinking, Sally about “encouraging” OCC, who in my view have held up this process without any justification.