We’re excited to share the research that we conducted in 2021 through the Housing Advisors’ Programme (HAP) has now led to the Oxford City Council being awarded funding from the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) to unlock sites across Oxford to develop up to 30 affordable homes in Barton, Wood Farm and Blackbird Leys.
The project will see the possibility of community-led housing being delivered across three sites in Blackbird Leys through Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT) whom we have collaborated with over the years to reach this stage.
Oxford is one of the most unaffordable places to live in the UK, and this opportunity will enable Oxford City Council to release the sites for council homes at social rent and OCLT to deliver affordable community-led housing.
Our HAP feasibility study report mapped council garage sites and other unused land in Blackbird Leys to assess their suitability for new homes. The feasibility study report was made in collaboration with Oxfordshire Community Land Trust and Oxford City Council. You can read the report here.
The full press release on the BLRF can be found on Oxford City Council’s website, and the story was picked up by BBC News.
Take a look back and what a short film on ‘Can empty garage sites in Blackbird Leys make affordable homes?’ (film created by Rory Campbell (Rawz) and funded by the Housing Advisors Programme)