• Three housebuilders now committed on site, speeding up construction of new homes needed to meet the city’s growth

Barton Oxford LLP, a joint venture between Grosvenor Britain & Ireland and Oxford City Council, has appointed Countryside Housebuilding West to deliver over 400 new homes and local retail space at its Barton Park development in Oxford.

Countryside’s appointment means that Grosvenor and the city council are on track to deliver the final phase of the 885 homes planned for the site at Barton Park, 40% (354) of which will be let at social rent*. 

Leading mixed-tenure developer, Countryside, will submit a reserved matters application this year to build up to 441 homes. When complete, 40% (up to 176) of these will be let at social rent by the council’s housing company, Oxford City Housing Ltd (OCHL).

The homes will be built in line with the site-wide design code set by Grosvenor and the council, ensuring a consistently high standard of development across Barton Park.   

Countryside will be the third housebuilder delivering homes at Barton Park alongside Hill and Redrow. Hill has nearly completed the first phase of construction known as Mosaics.  Redrow is currently building 207 new homes in a phase called The Steeples.

The new community at Barton Park has continued to go from strength to strength since construction started. There are now over 200 households living on site, with a sports pavilion, sports pitch and linear park already open for community use. 

A primary school opened in 2020, serving families in Barton Park and neighbouring Barton.  The new phase of construction will build on these neighbourhood amenities with space for local shops delivered by Countryside, with the intention to attract a convenience food store.

Barton Park has been shaped to encourage active lifestyles and address longstanding health inequalities in this part of Oxford – being one of 10 demonstrator sites for the NHS Healthy New Towns programme which was set up to show how better places can support healthier living.  As well as a masterplan to support outdoor exercise, walking and cycling, Grosvenor and Oxford City Council have worked closely with NHS teams and the county council to look at how services are delivered.

Louisa Nie, senior development manager, Strategic Land, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, commented: “With Countryside now on board, Grosvenor and Oxford City Council are on course to realise our vision for Barton Park, with high-quality homes, open space and community facilities serving new and existing residents.  By taking a master developer approach, partnering with three housebuilders and funding the infrastructure upfront, we have been able to get new homes for Oxford built quicker while setting a high bar for site-wide design and delivery.”

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for planning and housing delivery, said: “Oxford needs homes, and we’re really pleased to announce the partnership with Countryside to deliver more than 400 homes and retail space on Barton Park. The master developer approach we’ve adopted with Grosvenor means we’ve already delivered high-quality green spaces and sports facilities, as well as much-needed homes.

“When complete, 354 of the 885 homes on Barton Park will be let at social rent by our housing company, OCHL. This is a new generation of council housing and the first significant development of council homes in Oxford since the 1970s.”

Andy Barron, Managing Director, Housebuilding West, Countryside, comments: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with Grosvenor Britain & Ireland and Oxford City Council, and play a role in the creation of the thriving new neighbourhood at Barton Park. Barton Park is a great example of how beneficial partnerships can be in creating new places, and we look forward to bringing our expertise to the neighbourhood to deliver high-quality new homes and retail space.” 

*Social rent is calculated with reference to the size and value of a home and average regional income, and in Oxford this is typically around 40% of equivalent private rents.