A £100 million project to construct 331 homes on land currently used for community sports facilities in Oxford has received approval.
Oxford City Council’s cabinet gave the £97.6 million plan the go-ahead during Wednesday’s meeting (March 18), clearing the way for the major affordable housing development to move forward.
The homes will be constructed at Sandy Lane Recreation Ground in Blackbird Leys, with the location selected due to its proximity to the planned Cowley Branch Line scheme. The council has agreed that football pitches currently used by local teams will be moved to an alternative site.
Cabinet member for housing and communities, Councillor Linda Smith, stated during the meeting that developing on the recreation ground is a decision that requires serious consideration.
She explained that the reopening of the Cowley Branch Line and the establishment of a new station create a compelling argument for construction at this location. However, she emphasised that the football pitches on the site, which local teams regularly use at weekends, must be provided at a new location first.
No residential construction will commence on this site until those pitches have been established, are operational, and are being used by the teams.
As both a cabinet member and a local councillor for Blackbird Leys, she is committed to ensuring not just replacement of those pitches, but that the affected clubs, Greater Leys football club and Blackbirds football club, receive upgraded facilities that exceed their current arrangements.
The plan involves transferring the four football pitches from Sandy Lane to Herschel Crescent Recreation Ground, situated 150 metres away, complete with newly constructed changing rooms and storage space.
These facilities will be completed before any housebuilding begins and are anticipated to be ready for use by summer next year.
In addition to moving the existing pitches, the city council is investigating the possibility of creating an extra pitch at another council-owned location.
The new residences will consist entirely of affordable housing.
The project will be developed on council-owned land through OX Place, the housing company fully owned by the council. More than 800 new inhabitants are anticipated to be accommodated, including 300 children. When accounting for reallocation of current housing stock, the impact is expected to affect approximately 1,200 individuals.
Dave Scholes, the council’s corporate lead for affordable housing supply, noted that the figures multiply significantly, demonstrating the real impact on people’s lives.
The council intends to collaborate closely with the developers of the Cowley Branch Line to implement the project in stages. This includes creating a central boulevard and station square with direct connections to the new station named Sandy Lane, Blackbird Leys, accessible via a footbridge crossing the railway.
The development will also connect directly to the Oxford Arc Business Park in Cowley, providing convenient access to job opportunities.
Cabinet approval was granted for the grant project, including the £97.5 million budget, and for the legal and planning procedures necessary to begin work on the site.