Note: We need to update this project page. We're working on it! In the meantime, see our latest news article about these sites.

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Oxfordshire Community Land Trust, Transition by Design and Oxford City Council are working together to identify brownfield sites – like disused council garages – that could be reclaimed for new homes.

The partnership project was funded by the Housing Advisers Programme in early 2021. The project will develop a strategy for reclaiming underused land for affordable and sustainable housing.

Around 600 of the council’s 2,000 garages are vacant. These sites are often small with some barriers to construction, meaning that they are overlooked for larger housing projects. However with housing in Oxford becoming increasingly unaffordable and over 2,850 households on Oxford City Council’s housing list, new and innovative solutions are desperately needed.

 

As part of the project, a long list of potential sites across Oxford are being mapped and surveyed to test their suitability for housing - including garage sites in the Blackbird Leys area. Each of these brownfield sites could make space for small-scale developments of several new homes, without losing any community green space.

Transition by Design bring their expertise in low-carbon design and will develop initial plans for up to 30 comfortable and sustainable homes across at least five garage sites. The Oxfordshire Community Land Trust aims to ensure that any homes created in future are permanently affordable and owned by the community.

 

The project is still in the early stages and the partnership have been gathering support and ideas from the Blackbird Leys community.

 

In September 2021, a community event was held at the Blackbird Leys Community Centre to ask local residents what they thought of the ideas.

 

OCLT is pleased to report that things are progressing, slowly but surely, towards building 12-15 new affordable homes across 2-3 former garage sites in Blackbird Leys. We’re hoping to soon sign the lease for the land with the landowner, Oxford City Council, and to move towards planning permission early in 2026.

 

These homes will provide much-needed stability for members of the local Oxford community on low incomes, for whom the pressure of housing costs remains critical. We’re working in partnership with a local steering committee to ensure that the homes are tailored to the local area’s needs.

 

In line with OCLT’s community-led ethos and commitment to tenant involvement, we hope to involve tenants in the management of the homes. If you are interested in helping OCLT develop this project please get in touch via info@oclt.org.uk.