Oxford News
Oxford: 330 home £100m development gets the green light
Oxford City Council’s cabinet approved the £97.6million scheme at a meeting on Wednesday (March 18), giving the go ahead to progress the major development of affordable homes.
With a total of 331 homes going to be built on the Sandy Lane Recreation Ground in Blackbird Leys, chosen for position next to the upcoming Cowley Branch Line development, the council has agreed the football pitches used by local clubs will be relocated.
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Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and communities, said at the meeting that building on the recreation ground is ‘not something to be taken lightly’.
She said: “There’s a strong case for development there because of the reopening of the Cowley Branch Line and the citing of the new station, but what we need to be absolutely clear about is that the football pitches on the site, which are well-used by local teams at weekends, they will be re-provided.
“No housing development will take place on this site until those pitches have been re-provided and they’re up and running and in use by those teams.
“I’m determined, as a cabinet member but as a local Blackbird Leys councillor as well, that we don’t just re-provide those pitches, but the local teams affected, the Greater Leys football club and the Blackbirds football club, they get improved facilities – an enhancement of the facilities for their teams to enjoy.
“We can’t say that enough.”
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The plan is to relocate the four football pitches from Sandy Lane to Herschel Crescent Recreation Ground, 150 metres away, with newly-built changing facilities and storage.
They will proceed any housebuilding and are expected to be useable by summer next year.
Alongside the relocation of the existing pitches, the city council is ‘exploring’ the delivery of an additional pitch at another council-owned site.
Built on council-owned land by OX Place, the wholly council-owned housing development company, more than 800 new residents are expected to be housed including 300 children, and with reallocations of existing stock, the knock-on effect is expected to be felt by 1,200 people.
Council officer Dave Scholes, the corporate lead on affordable housing supply, said: “The numbers really start to multiply out, and you can see the impact on people’s lives.”
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The council plans to work ‘closely’ with the developers of the Cowley Branch Line to deliver the scheme in phases, which includes a central boulevard and station square with direct links to the new station ‘Sandy Lane, Blackbird Leys’ via a footbridge over the railway.
The development will also link directly to the Oxford Arc Business Park in Cowley for easy access to employment opportunities.
Approval was given at the cabinet meeting for the grant project, including the £97.5m budget, and for the legal and planning processes to bring the site forward to be started.
Didcot Town FC sent out a reminder yesterday (Saturday March 28), that its event today (Sunday, March 29) has been cancelled.
The show was billed as an afternoon with “three Leeds United Legends… Gordon Strachan and Mel Sterland and Jon Newsome”.
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Mr Strachan is perhaps the best known of the three having also managed Southampton, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Scotland.
To be held at the football club, its description said: “A night you don’t want to miss.
“Filled with historic stories from the lads at their time at the club, funny inside memories and much more.”
However, the event was cancelled and Didcot Town said that despite its request for tickets to be taken off sale by TD Promotions, they were still showing as on sale yesterday.
Today, the event is listed on TD Promotions’ website as being ‘sold out’ and does not mention that it has been cancelled.
A statement from Didcot Town Football Club said: “The Gordon Strachan, Mel Sterland and Jon Newsome event at Didcot Town this Sunday has been cancelled.
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“Despite our request for tickets to be taken off sale by TD Promotions, they are still showing as on sale.
“TD Promotions have said they will be in contact with everyone that bought a ticket next week to sort out refunds.
“Any issues contact didcotmedia@gmail.com and I will give you their details.”
Didcot Town welcomed former Leeds United strikers Jermaine Beckford and Luciano Becchio in September 2025 for an event through TD Promotions.
Didcot’s event featured an auction and raffle, with comedian Jed Stone as the compere and saw a turnout of around 200 people.
This followed on from other high profile events at the club over the past two years which includes the late boxing legend Ricky Hatton and former England footballer Paul Gascoigne.
Thames Valley Police said on Saturday morning that its investigation continues after a duo were arrested on Thursday, March 26 across the county border from Oxfordshire in Berkshire.
A 27-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman from Slough were arrested on suspicion of murder and grievous bodily harm.
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The force said both adults had been released on conditional police bail “pending further enquiries”.
The arrests come after a child “sustained serious injuries” and “tragically passed away in hospital”, according to Detective Inspector Nick Hind from the Major Crime Unit.
The detective said the force’s enquiries are “still at an early stage” and acknowledged the incident is likely to cause “significant concern” in the community.
Hailey CE Primary unveiled the library in conjunction with World Book Day, funded through donations from the Friends of Hailey School, community grants, local business donations and our generous families.
Mrs Davies, headteacher, said: “The school is proud that together we are building a brighter future for our children through the power of reading.”
The library offers a wide selection of books across different genres to help children improve their literacy skills and discover new interests.
Excitement is high within the school community.
Mrs Davies said: “We’re so excited about the opening of our library that everyone’s peeking through the doors to catch a glimpse.
“I cannot wait to unfold the magic behind the books.”
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