Residents are moving into 61 homes for social rent at the new Chestnut Tower in Blackbird Leys, marking a major milestone in the widespread regeneration of the area.
The new homes in the nine-storey development are being allocated through Oxford City Council’s housing register, and are designed to help local people who have been waiting for a secure and genuinely affordable place to live.
Chestnut Tower forms part of the wider regeneration of Blackbird Leys, a partnership with the not-for-profit Housing Association Peabody and The Hill Group. The plan will deliver 294 new affordable homes, 174 for social rent and 120 for shared ownership. They will sit alongside a new community centre, shops, improved public spaces and better walking and cycling infrastructure.
The 61 homes at Chestnut Tower are all for social rent. The development includes one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with seven homes designed to be accessible for residents with mobility needs.
Each home has its own private outdoor space, either a balcony or garden, alongside modern, energy-efficient interiors.
The arrival of the first residents comes as work moves forward across the wider Blackbird Leys scheme. Work is progressing on the nearby new community centre, while over half of the 84 shared ownership homes being built are becoming available at The Aviary on Knights Road.
Nearby, construction is also underway on the new 'Cherry Tree Tower' development, which will provide a further 51 homes for social rent, scheduled by the end of 2027.
Social Rent
Social rent is typically around 40 per cent of the rent a private landlord would charge for an equivalent home in Oxford, helping residents to have greater security and more manageable housing costs.
Comment
“Watching the moving vans come and going outside Chestnut Tower this week has been really inspiring, and marks an important moment for the community here in Blackbird Leys. After years of planning and construction, these new homes are now becoming exactly what they were designed to be, homes for local people.
“There is a huge, growing need for genuinely affordable homes in our city, so it is fantastic to see 61 brand new social-rent homes being made available to people on our housing register. More than 40% of these new apartments are being let to existing tenants of the council or local housing associations who wish to downsize or who have been experiencing overcrowded conditions. This in turn will free up more homes for social rent for local people on our housing register desperate for a secure affordable home in the city.
“However this is about much more than one building. Chestnut Tower is part of the wider regeneration of Blackbird Leys, with more affordable homes, including those for shared ownership helping residents get on the property ladder sitting alongside a new community centre, and improved public spaces. Seeing the first residents get their keys, the first bicycles being stored, and the first balconies being used, is a real, tangible sign that this transformation is happening, and that alongside our partners, we are delivering the homes Oxford needs.”
- Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Oxford City Council
