Troubled office building in Banbury is now fully occupied after renovation

Town Centre House is now being used to house those facing an accommodation crisis, according to Cherwell District Council. A minority of those are refugees and the remainder those and in need of emergency accommodation. All tenants pay rent to the authority.

The building has a chequered history. Once prestigious offices, including for a major regional estate agent, Town Centre House was left empty for a decade until it was taken over by the council in 2016, initially as a leasehold at an annual cost.

The council eventually bought the building, rather than continue leasing it, at a cost of around £6m. It was converted into 36 flats but tenants had to be moved to other social housing when RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) was discovered in the building.

Tenants have been moving back into the apartments in recent months.

Councillor Nick Cotter, Cherwell District Council’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “The refurbishment works at Town Centre House were completed earlier this year and it is now fully occupied.

"The majority of the units are used as emergency accommodation for people who find themselves in housing crisis.

“This is reducing the need for us to use other accommodation such as hotels and B&Bs, helping us deliver on the commitment to improve the provision of temporary accommodation, which we made in our Housing Strategy 2025-2030, announced in February.

“Like any other council-owned social housing development, all tenants at Town Centre House pay rent.”