On Monday (19 October), Orbit, one of the UK’s largest providers of good quality affordable homes, completed the purchase of 128 homes in Oxford from Bromford.
Orbit’s 2025 growth strategy seeks to further increase its local presence both in Oxford and the wider ‘OxCam Arc’. Orbit already has great homes in and around Oxfordshire in Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire. The purchase of these homes will allow Orbit to continue to improve services to all customers within these communities with better value for money achieved through our stock densification strategy.
Matt Willcox, Orbit’s Head of Strategic Portfolio Management, said: “We are seeking to increase our existing presence within Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas where we want to make a positive impact to local communities and to deliver upon our vision to build thriving communities.
“We would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new customers. This acquisition will help bring a greater focus to the area and we are ideally placed to ensure that we can continue to have a positive impact and improve services to customers in Oxford.”
The newly acquired homes consist of 104 rented homes, 10 supported housing properties, eight shared ownership homes and six leasehold homes, for a total of 128 properties. There is also one freeholder who receives services for communal areas.
Paul Richards, Group Director of Customer and Communities, added: "We are committed to investing in our homes and communities, building affordable housing and doing business in a more socially responsible and sustainable way. We provide a number of advice and support services to our customers through our Betters Days programme and have supported over 5,200 customers in the past 12 months with financial, wellbeing, employment and digital support.
"We remain devoted to delivering upon our vision to build thriving communities that are inclusive to all and in full acknowledgement of the global environmental crisis, ensuring that Orbit reduces its environmental impact across homes, services and offices.”
Natalie Robertson, associate director of localities at Bromford, added: “A key part of our 2019-2023 strategy is allowing us to concentrate our efforts to invest in building homes and relationships in those communities where we own significant numbers of homes. This work, which will be concluded over the coming year, will allow us to provide a better level of service to our core area across central and south west England, helping houses become homes, streets become communities and goals become realities.
“As we only owned 130 homes in the Oxford City Council area we made the decision to transfer them to another housing association that had a greater presence in the area. We’re pleased to have identified Orbit as the best housing association to take on these homes.
“Like us, Orbit has a historic record of providing high quality services to customers. And like us, Orbit is committed to building thriving communities. Customers will be able to stay in their homes, they will just have a new landlord, who we believe will be able to provide customers with a better, localised service in the future.”