A FUNDING boost will mean the budget to renovate an Oxford community centre is pushed up to £10.6m, according to the city council.

The East Oxford Community Centre will undergo a huge renovation – but now about 30 houses built by the council’s housing company could replace student housing first proposed in October.

Of those houses, at least half will be affordable homes and the proportion of those could increase if the council can afford to build more with its funding.

This one major change is the only amendment in a plan to redevelop the Princes Street community centre, Film Oxford and the East Oxford Games Hall sites which was initially revealed three months ago to boost the project.

Critics have said the plan would mean that a large chunk of the centre would be lost.

But the council maintains that only eight per cent of the floorspace of the centre would be go and that the centre would be easier to use.

Councillor Ed Turner, the council’s board member for finance, said: “We want to significantly improve community facilities in East Oxford. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we want to make sure we get it right.

“We think these new proposals, alongside providing new and modern community space, respond to residents’ feedback that more student housing was not what was needed in this area, and instead take the opportunity to include affordable housing for local people on these sites.”

The council said the only groups that will need to move are based at the East Oxford Games Hall and that they will be accommodated elsewhere in the city.

And it said new shareable spaces would mean more community activities and events in East Oxford can take place.

As part of the plan, the Fusion Arts building would be demolished and replaced by a two-storey building for community use. An improved outdoor space would also be built.

The scheme would also see the old school building refurbished, and another new two-storey building created for film and music studios, offices and community space.

The renovation is necessary because some of the East Oxford Community Centre site has been condemned.

The plan is likely to be accepted by senior councillors when it is brought to the city council’s executive board meeting in February.

Labour city councillor for nearby St Clement’s, Tom Hayes, said he had urged the council to build affordable homes over student housing.

He said: “Every time I knock on someone’s door I hear about the unaffordability of St Clements. If you’re from the area, you should be able to live here.

“I grew up in council houses until I was 24 and I think having at least 50 per cent of council housing on that site is a commitment from the council. I fought very hard to make sure there was no student housing – and I will keep up the fight that 100 per cent are affordable.”

Last year the council proposed a £2.3m redevelopment of the community centre, including a refurbishment of the old school and Fusion Arts building, along with a new two-storey building for film and music studios, offices and a community space.

This would have been funded by selling the Film Oxford and East Oxford Games Hall sites. Then a sale of land to build student housing was proposed to raise the budget to £3.7m. 

The council was asked to look at how it could increase other housing on the site instead.