JUST 3.7 per cent of all affordable housing built in Oxfordshire was built in Oxford – showing the city in a ‘very poor light,’ according to a councillor.

In 2017/18, 1,211 affordable homes were built across the county – but just 45 of those were in Oxford.

Green city councillor Dick Wolff said it showed Oxford City Council’s ‘relatively poor performance’ over providing new affordable housing.

Similarly, the estimated figure for 2018/19 was only ‘slightly better’, with 87 homes being built of 1,217 in the county.

He added: “In 2017/18, Oxford fell short of its target for affordable housing delivery and is predicted to do so again in 2018/19.”

The city council blamed the ‘availability of suitable development sites’ and said they are fewer than in other authorities across Oxfordshire.

Mike Rowley, the city council’s executive board member for housing, said: “The availability of suitable development sites in the city is more limited than in other districts.

“There are additional constraints in that some large land owners do not want to bring forward sites for development in the short to medium term.”

Mr Rowley added: “The council continues to work proactively with our housing association partners to bring forward sites and a number are either in delivery or planning stage currently.”

The clearest example of the council helping build new homes across the city is at Barton Park, where it has invested in affordable housing.

Of the 885 homes that will be built there, 40 per cent of those will be affordable.

The authority has supported building on the Green Belt around Oxford and South Oxfordshire District Council’s plan to use Grenoble Road and other contentious sites for homes around the city.

Grenoble Road, to the south of the city, could be used for up to 1,700 homes as part of SODC’s Local Plan.

It is contentious because campaigners say there is no need for the homes and would ruin the countryside around the city.

Other sites SODC and the city council support building on include Bayswater Brook, to the north east of Oxford, and Northfield.

Both of those are also in the Green Belt.

The plan is subject to independent assessment by a Government planning inspector.

Other housing plans led by the council include building on the Murco petrol station site in Cowley.

But that was being looked again last night after councillors said they were worried about access to the site and it being used as ‘car-free’.

The city council has said all of the development proposed by all Oxfordshire authorities would only use 2.05 per cent of the Green Belt.

That area around the city measures 66,868 hectares – and the councils want to build on 1,373 hectares into the mid-2030s.