A major new housing development at Water Eaton is set to bring more than £24.6 million in infrastructure investment to Oxfordshire, alongside plans for up to 800 new homes — half of which would be affordable housing.
Housebuilder Bellway and Christ Church Oxford have confirmed details of the planning agreement for the scheme on land east of Oxford Road, which is being described as a new gateway into Oxford.
The development received outline planning approval from Cherwell District Council in June 2024, with the formal planning agreement now issued outlining the financial commitments attached to the project.
Under the agreement, £7.74 million will go towards primary education provision, while £5.86 million has been allocated for secondary education. More than £6.5 million will support roads and transport improvements, with a further £2.2 million earmarked for sports facilities.
The plans also include land for a new primary school, funding towards land for a secondary school, community facilities, household recycling support, and a community development worker.
Designed as a sustainable neighbourhood, the development will feature extensive green spaces including parkland, orchards and play areas, alongside walking and cycling routes intended to encourage greener travel. The scheme will also deliver a biodiversity net gain of more than 20 per cent and has received Building with Nature design accreditation.
Paul Smits, Managing Director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “This new community in Water Eaton has been designed to bring benefits to local residents and to the environment.
“This requires more than simply building homes. Our plans demonstrate how the foundations will be laid for a new neighbourhood featuring vast areas of parkland, orchards and play areas, a community area and school, as well as new housing, all connected by walkways and cycle paths to encourage green modes of travel.
“Wildlife habitats will be created and enhanced, while historic features such as the underground remains of historic barrows will be protected.
“The provision of up to 400 energy-efficient affordable homes, as well as the significant financial support for local services, will deliver tangible benefits to people living in this part of Oxfordshire.”
Wilf Stephenson, Chief Information Officer for Christ Church, said the project reflected the college’s long-term commitment to supporting local communities.
He said: “Four hundred affordable homes in Oxford is a significant number, and one that reflects Christ Church’s genuine commitment to the communities around its landholdings.
“Sustainability has been central to the design of this development from the outset: our Responsible Ownership Policy for Property sets rigorous standards across ecology, energy, carbon and wellbeing, and those standards have shaped every decision taken at Water Eaton.
“We look forward to seeing a community built here that benefits both the people who live in it and the environment around it.”
The outline consent approves the overall masterplan and core principles of the development. More detailed applications covering infrastructure and housing phases are expected to be submitted to Cherwell District Council in the coming weeks.
Bellway hopes construction work can begin later this year.
