Key information

• Site Location: Littlemore, Oxford
• Grid Reference: 51°43′25″N , 001°13′05″W"W
• Status: Planning
• Homes: 4
• Tenure: Rent
• Mechanism: Community Land Trust

This was an innovative proposal which did not go ahead.

Oxford City Council (OCC) developed a partnership with Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT) and Transition By Design (TBD), a local design collective, to develop a pilot affordable, community-led housing project on underused urban land.

In 2018, OCC identified an area of derelict garages it owned, on Champion Way in Littlemore in Oxford. TBD created a design of four, zero-carbon homes using natural materials and modular off-site construction. They will house people from the local housing register, with OCLT holding a 125 lease on the land, ensuring the housing will remain secure and affordable.

Having funded the planning stage of the Champion Way project, it has obtained planning permission. This is proof of concept for an innovative housing model that can be replicated across garage sites or overlooked parcels of land in the city and beyond to provide affordable, zero-carbon homes for those in housing need.

A sketch of the proposed design. Image: Transition by Design