Welcome

Ruskin College is partnering with Welbeck Land to understand community views on proposals for up to 120 much-needed new homes, as well as landscaped open space, on Ruskin Fields. Ruskin Fields sits immediately north of the College campus and south of the A40.

The proposed new homes will help to alleviate the housing shortage in Oxford. Proceeds from the development will be “locked in” to be re-invested into Ruskin College – helping fund improvements for education in the area.

After initial consultation with stakeholders and technical work, the project team have produced a draft proposal, which is outlined over the following boards.

We would like to hear your views on our proposal before we submit an outline planning application to Oxford City Council in the near future. We are holding a public consultation now so we can best understand community feedback at a stage where it can help shape our proposal. Oxford City Council will also invite comments on our proposal in due course, once an outline planning application has been submitted.

You can leave your comments and feedback with us one of three ways:

  • Completing our online feedback form on the “Consultation and Next Steps” page of this website
  • Emailing your feedback directly to jamie@spbroadway.com
  • Requesting and filling in a paper feedback form

We would appreciate receiving any comments by 6pm Wednesday 8th July 2026, to allow the project team enough time to review and understand your views ahead of our next steps. Please explore our proposal through the pages of this website.

The project team will review all feedback, alongside comments from local groups and planning officers as well as finalised technical reports, before considering how to progress. This will include submitting an outline planning application to Oxford City Council in due course, alongside draft inclusion in the emerging Local Plan. Oxford City Council will run its own public consultation in due course, once our outline planning application has been submitted.

Who We Are

Founded in 1899, Ruskin College specialises in accessible adult education for everyone. Now part of the University of West London, a redevelopment of the College’s campus on Dunstan Road was completed in 2012 and has served as the College’s primary hub since.

This proposal for new homes on Ruskin Fields will not only provide desperately needed new housing in Headington, but also help support the College and its aims by raising the funds needed for further investment in the institution. All proceeds that Ruskin College make from the sale of the new homes are legally required to be re-invested into the College, helping to grow and support the College’s mission.

Welbeck Land, established in 1993, is Ruskin College’s land promotion partner and is working alongside the College to secure planning permission for new homes at Ruskin Fields.

Welbeck has a strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ethos which places communities and the planet at the forefront of their approach. This ethos is reflected through early and proactive engagement with stakeholders and the local community whilst taking a responsible and long-term view of planning and development. Through this approach Welbeck is committed to the creation of truly sustainable places that deliver long-term benefits for both communities and the environment.

As a land promoter, Welbeck guides proposals through the complicated planning system, but will not be the final housebuilder.

Consultation to date

Prior to commencing this public consultation, Ruskin College and Welbeck Land held initial meetings with immediate neighbours, councillors and local stakeholder groups to understand community views at an early stage.

To date, members of the project team have met with:

  • Planning, Design and Conservation Officers at Oxford City Council
  • Cllr Dr Chris Smowton (City councillor for Headington)
  • Cllr James Taylor (City councillor for Headington Hill and Northway)
  • Cllr Nigel Chapman (City councillor for Headington Hill and Northway)
  • Cllr Roz Smith (County councillor for Headington and Quarry)
  • The Friends of Old Headington
  • The Headington Neighbourhood Forum
  • The Oxford Civic Society
  • The Oxford Preservation Trust

We have also held ‘Community Liaison Group’ meetings with the most immediate neighbours of Ruskin College along parts of Dunstan Road and Stoke Place (in February 2025 and January 2026), as well as residents of Foxwell Drive (April 2026). Meetings were also offered to groups representing Northway.

You can leave your feedback on the “Consultation and Next Steps” page of this website, or by emailing jamie@spbroadway.com

Contact Us

If you have any queries, please contact Jamie O’Sullivan of SP Broadway on 07503 201876 or at jamie@spbroadway.com