Proposals made by South Oxfordshire District Council cabinet last week could pave the way for more environmentally sustainable and genuinely affordable housing across the south of county.

At its meeting on Friday, October 25, the cabinet agreed a report should be prepared to investigate how SODC can deliver new, affordable houses in the district.

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As part of this report, councillors discussed prioritising Berinsfield as a test location for any new approach to housing in the district.

This came following a motion agreed at full council earlier this year proposed by the cabinet member for development and regeneration, Cllr Robin Bennett.

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At that time Cllr Bennett asked for a report on ways to use council powers and resources to deliver more high-quality, environmentally sustainable and genuinely affordable housing across southern Oxfordshire.

Pieter-Paul Barker, cabinet member for partnership and insight, said there was ‘a clear housing affordability crisis in the district.’

The councillor added: “It is also clear that councils cannot rely on the private sector alone to meet the shortfall in housing at genuinely affordable prices.”