FOI release

Keepers Place housing development

Some or all of the information requested may not have been provided because we required clarification from the requester.

Case reference FOI2026/00936

Received 23 August 2026

Published 21 September 2026

Request

Please can you provide the specific purchase price and acquisition cost paid by Oxford City Council / OX Place for the former oil depot site located on Railway Lane, Littlemore. This site is now the Keepers Place housing development. On Google the address is: 1 Thomson Terrace, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4QD If the purchase price cannot be disclosed, please provide any recorded financial information, reports or budget allocations regarding the total funds used to buy the land please.

Response

The Council holds information relating to the acquisition and financing of the Railway Lane development.

 

The specific purchase/acquisition cost is being withheld under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the Council and the parties involved in the development.

 

Public interest test

 

Factors in favour of disclosure

 

The Council recognises that disclosure would promote transparency and accountability regarding the use of public funds and expenditure on affordable housing.

 

Factors in favour of maintaining the exemption

 

The withheld information relates to the detailed financial arrangements for a property development and acquisition. Disclosure of this information could prejudice the Council's commercial position in relation to property transactions and negotiations and could affect its ability to secure value for money in similar transactions.

 

Balance of the public interest

 

The Council considers that there is a significant public interest in transparency regarding expenditure on affordable housing. However, in this instance, this is outweighed by the public interest in protecting the Council's ability to negotiate effectively and secure value for money in property and development transactions.

 

The Council therefore considers that the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

 

The Council can, however, confirm that the Railway Lane scheme was approved by Cabinet in December 2022. The published Cabinet report is available here:

 

Delivery of Affordable Housing – Railway Lane and Marston Paddock

 

Budget provision for the purchase of affordable housing from this scheme is also contained within the Council's Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme under the Purchases from OCHL budget line.

 

To the extent that the requested financial and budget information is contained within the Council's published reports, it is exempt under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, as it is reasonably accessible by other means.

 

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Oxford City Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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