Outline plans to build over 300 affordable homes on land at Sandy Lane in Blackbird Leys are set for approval by Cabinet next week.
Oxford City Council’s Cabinet will discuss the £97.6 million scheme on Wednesday 18 March, giving the green light to begin the legal and planning processes required to bring the site forward.
This development will deliver 100% affordable housing on council-owned land, with 79% of the new homes let at Social Rent levels, and the rest offered for shared ownership.
It was agreed that the work needed for the relocation of sports facilities currently on the Sandy Lane Recreation Ground site will be completed before any construction work begins on the site. This commitment is to ensure the local sports offering remains continuous throughout the development.
OX Place, the council’s wholly owned development company, will act as the development agent, while the council will directly procure and manage the construction contract.
The site, currently a recreation ground, is identified in the Council’s emerging ‘Local Plan 2045’ for at least 300 homes. With a new train station planned, it is also expected to become a key gateway for the recently confirmed Cowley Branch Line.
The scheme forms part of Oxford City Council’s longstanding ‘Affordable Housing Supply Programme’, which aims to deliver over 1,600 much needed affordable homes between April 2025 and March 2029, with at least 850 at Social Rent levels.
What will be built?
The scheme will provide:
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331 fully affordable homes in total
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261 homes for Social Rent (79 per cent)
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70 homes for Shared Ownership (21 per cent)
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A mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom flats and houses
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Five per cent wheelchair-accessible homes
The mix is designed to prioritise families and people in housing need while ensuring the scheme remains financially viable within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). Over 1,200 people are expected to have their housing improved through this process, more than 800 to be accommodated in the new scheme itself, and others from resulting vacancies and relets in existing council homes as people move across.
The site will also support the development of the new proposed Cowley Branch Line station. The redevelopment masterplan incorporates a central boulevard and station square, with direct links to the new station ‘Sandy Lane, Blackbird Leys’ via a new footbridge over the railway and into the Oxford Arc Business Park, Cowley, making it easy and quick for residents to access employment opportunities.
The homes will be built to high environmental standards, including air-source heat pumps and solar panels, with a target of at least a 40 per cent reduction in regulated carbon emissions compared to 2022 building standards. All homes are expected to achieve an EPC rating of B or above.
The ecology of the site will also be maintained, including the tree and hedge cover around the edge of the site, with the overall biodiversity improved by at least 10% through a variety of measures. Bat boxes and other wildlife enhancements will also feature across the site.
Football pitch relocation
The plans involve four pitches from Sandy Lane to be re-provided 150 metres away at Herschel Crescent Recreation Ground, supported by new purpose‑built changing facilities and secure storage. Alongside the Herschel Crescent reprovision, the Council is exploring the delivery of an additional pitch at another localcouncil‑owned site.
The pitches will benefit from improved drainage, enabling more consistent year-round use and reducing match cancellations during wet weather.
The new facilities are scheduled to be operational by Summer 2027.
The plans mandate that no housing construction will begin until replacement facilities are in place and operational.
What happens next?
Following Cabinet approval, the council will:
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Submit planning applications for the relocated pitches in Summer 2026
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Prepare an outline planning application for the housing development, expected in early 2027
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Begin the statutory process to change the land from recreation use to planning purposes
If planning permission is granted, work on the first phase of homes could begin in 2028, with the first homes expected to be completed in 2029. The full scheme is currently projected to complete by summer 2034.
Comment
“Over 1,200 people are expected to have their housing situation improved through this new development at Sandy Lane. We’ll be delivering over 300 genuinely affordable homes for local people at a site identified in our Local Plan and closely linked to the forthcoming Cowley Branch Line.
“We are clear about the absolute necessity of relocating the football pitches and are committed to ensuring high quality and enhanced facilities are in place before any homes are built. We have sought to work closely with the local football clubs, and Sports England to shape our approach to ensuring the community benefits from this investment and sports provision is not impacted. Blackbirds FC and Greater Leys FC in particular provide fantastic opportunities for local youngsters to play football and I fully expect both clubs to end up with access to better facilities as a result of this exciting development.
“This is about tackling Oxford’s housing crisis while investing in sustainable, connected neighbourhoods for the future.”
- Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing, Oxford City Council
You can see the Cabinet Paper below.
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