We have worked with Gloucestershire-based E G Carter & Co Ltd to demolish the 1960s former sheltered housing scheme and build 30 new homes in its place. 

St Marys Court, in The Crofts, is a short distance from Witney town centre and the Leys Recreation Ground. The new scheme now provides 23 one-bed and 7 two-bed apartments for people aged-55 and over.

To celebrate completion of the work, we held an official opening yesterday (18 September).

Our Chief Executive, Richard Reynolds welcomed attendees including Charlie Maynard MP for Witney, and Mayor of Witney Cllr Owen Collins, along with representatives from West Oxfordshire District Council, E G Carter & Co Ltd, and other companies involved in the redevelopment.

Richard said: “Based right in the heart of Witney, St Marys Court is in a great location, but the former 1960s building fell below the high standard of accommodation that we want for our customers.

“We work hard to provide high-quality affordable homes and we are proud to have redeveloped this site to provide more spacious homes, of a much higher quality, all for social rent, making them as affordable as possible for the people who will shortly be moving in.

“Thank you to everyone involved in this project for their support, including Homes England who provided a £2.55 million grant. This is a great example of what partnership working can achieve.”

As part of Cottsway’s commitment to become more sustainable, the apartments have solar roof panels and electric heating and hot water systems – with an internal air source heat pump to heat the water - installed. Electric vehicle charging points have also been put in the car park to help meet customers’ needs in the future.

A 30-year biodiversity management plan has been put in place to ensure that conservation standards are met at St Marys Court not just now, but in years to come too, with a variety of bird and bat nesting boxes and hedgehog homes installed around the site.

Dominic Capaldi, Contracts Manager for EG Carter & Co Ltd, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Cottsway once again to deliver another sustainable affordable housing project. We are proud to work with housing associations like Cottsway to build affordable housing and I wish all the new residents the very best in their new homes.”

To find out how to apply for one of our homes, see Find a property