Oxford Reaches Milestone on 51 New Affordable Homes
Topping out ceremony held for new apartment blocks at former Northfield Hostel site, providing social rent and shared ownership homes.
By Laura Medhurst
••2 min read
Oxford City Council
Construction of 51 new affordable homes in Oxford has reached a significant milestone, with the two apartment blocks at the former Northfield Hostel site now at their full height.
The development, located on the brownfield site formerly occupied by the Northfield Hostel, saw Oxford City Council, its building company OX Place, and contractor Equans mark the occasion with a traditional topping out ceremony on 19th October 2026. This ceremony signifies that the buildings have reached their highest point and main structural work is complete.
The two four-storey blocks now stand at full height, with brickwork finished and roof trusses installed. Roofing works are underway, and scaffolding is beginning to be removed, offering a clear view of the finished design. The scaffolding is expected to be fully removed by the end of October. The site had been unused since 2014.
The development will provide 51 homes, including 27 council homes for social rent for individuals on the city’s housing register, and 24 homes for shared ownership. All homes are designed to be highly energy efficient, featuring good insulation, excellent air tightness, and integrated solar panels.
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"Oxford needs homes, and we’re building them. It’s fantastic to see Northfield Gate reach this important milestone and to see these how these new affordable homes are taking shape.
Northfield is a great example of how we can bring underused brownfield land back into use to provide much-needed affordable homes. More than half of the homes here will be council homes for social rent, while the shared ownership homes will help local people take their first step towards home ownership.
There is still work to do before these homes are ready for residents, but brick by brick, we can really start to see this new neighbourhood taking shape."
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"We’re pleased to mark this significant milestone alongside OX Place, supporting their ambitions to deliver much-needed affordable housing. Progress at Northfield reflects our strong partnership and the collaborative efforts of everyone involved, bringing us closer to delivering 51 high-quality, energy-efficient homes that meet local needs and support the council’s environmental goals."
The Northfield development is part of Oxford City Council’s broader Affordable Housing Supply Programme, which aims to deliver 1,600 affordable homes across Oxford between 2025 and 2029, with at least 850 designated for social rent. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2027.
Based on information from the official source: Oxford City Council (23/10/2026)
