Peabody and Oxford City Council are creating a new District Centre and place at Knights Road to meet the current and future demands of the Blackbird Leys community. This will include a new inclusive and multifunctional community centre, provide a more accessible public space, new shops and new affordable homes.
The regeneration tackles key issues such as health, education and employment inequalities, and support wider community inclusion. The work is being carried out in collaboration with local community groups and associations and everyone in the Leys community.
What will the new facilities offer?
Housing
There will be 294 new homes across the District Centre and Knights Road – all will be affordable. In total, 120 will be for shared ownership and 174 for social rent.
Find out more information about shared ownership.
At the District Centre, 5% of the rented homes will be wheelchair accessible and these will each have a designated accessible parking space. 92% of apartments have windows with views out in at least two directions. All homes have areas to work, and access to private outdoor space (either a garden or a balcony).
All 84 homes at Knights Road will be shared ownership homes, offering increased opportunities for young people to stay local and get on the housing ladder. There will be a mix of home sizes to meet local demand, including eight three-bedroom and 68 two-bedroom houses.
The Public Square
We are delivering a green space in front of the new community centre, where the roundabout is being replaced with a tree-lined area comprising 138 new trees. The new square will be at the heart of the community in the District Centre, with the new shops, community centre and separate church development creating a community hub.
The new shops
New shops will replace the existing top shops, and these will face the public square. There will be enough space for all current retailers who wish to return, and we will be working with individual retailers over the next few years. The new shops will have better services and be more energy efficient.
The Community Centre
The new Community Centre will be the focus for the overall development. It will be more accessible, more inclusive, more active and better designed. Oxford City Council is engaging with the community to develop a new design for the community centre and we will submit a finalised planning application to the council’s planning committee in the summer.
Our sustainable vision
We’re committed to creating a sustainable development at Blackbird Leys.
Establish a sustainable character
• The scheme will enhance local biodiversity, green networks and green spaces
• We are prioritising using sustainable and recycled materials across both sites
• Recycling, product sharing and waste reduction will be promoted.
Create healthy green and active spaces
• People’s health and well-being are a central part of what is being built
• We are delivering new accessible public spaces for play and recreation to promote active lifestyles within Blackbird Leys
• Our new homes will be welcoming, comfortable and support healthy living
• The scheme will put pedestrians and cyclists first and promote public transport use.
Support local community and promote equity
• We are delivering high quality homes and spaces for existing and new residents in an inclusive way
• The new indoor and outdoor public spaces will offer the community high quality shared facilities that meet local need
• The development will seek to boost the local economy and promote local opportunities
Providing a pathway towards a zero carbon future
• All homes will be well insulated and efficient using heat recovery systems to help keep energy bills as low as possible
• We are following internationally recognised principles for sustainable homes
• We are committed to reducing the on-site carbon emissions
• We plan to provide energy monitoring systems in all homes.
