Oxford City Council to build low-cost homes on brownfield sites 

The homes will be built on council land in Barton, Wood Farm and Blackbird Leys

The green light has been given for 30 affordable homes on a local authority's brownfield sites.

Oxford City Council plans to build the homes on land it owns in Barton, Wood Farm and Blackbird Leys.

The council said the new homes would be rented to people on the social housing register.

Linda Smith, the council's housing lead, said it was committed to "finding innovative solutions for unlocking small brownfield sites".

The project is intended to pave the way for affordable community-led housing and council homes in Underhill Circus, Leiden Road, Balfour Road, Harebell Road and Pegasus Road. 

It comes after the cabinet agreed to use a £340,213 award from the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) last week.

It follows a 2021 feasibility study, which saw extensive community engagement, said the council.

The study mapped council garage sites and other unused land in Blackbird Leys to assess their suitability.

BLRF funding will allow the demolition of 34 garages on Harebell Road and Pegasus Road, and further work to prepare a vacant former garage site in Balfour Road for development.

Each of the three Blackbird Leys sites has the potential for four new homes, said the council.

Up to 12 council homes are planned in Underhill Circus in Barton, and up to six council homes in Leiden Road, Wood Farm.

Oxford City Council has worked on the plans with Transition by Design and Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT).

Ms Smith said providing more affordable homes "doesn't just mean eye-catching big developments".

"We're committed to finding innovative solutions for unlocking small brownfield sites," she added.

OCLT chair Mark Child said the trust was committed to creating "permanently affordable homes in the city".

The BLRF requires all land to be released for housing by the end of March 2027.

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