A BUDGET of £21 million has been signed off for a project to revamp the centre of Blackbird Leys and build new homes.

The Blackbird Leys Development Project will see new 287 new homes built on the estate, alongside shops, offices, and a 'village green'.

The project has been in the pipeline at Oxford City Council since 2017, and the new funding for the scheme was in the process of being signed off by elected councillors.

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Because of the coronavirus lockdown, the city council's chief executive, Gordon Mitchell, has approved the£21.528 million needed for the works in the absence of councillors.

A published decision on Oxford City Council's website said the decision needed to be taken urgently.

It added: "To postpone the allocation of funding until such a time as council can meet would have delayed the implementation of a priority project for the council with negative impacts on communities."

The scheme will see the 287 homes built over two sites in Blackbird Leys.

The first is the 'district centre' of the housing estate, which would see 203 affordable homes built.

Oxford Mail:

Outline drawings of some of the regeneration work. Picture: Oxford City Council.

New shops and offices would also be built at the district centre, as well as a new community centre.

The second site is at Knights Road on an area currently used as a playing field.

A total of 74 homes would be built there for sale at market rate, alongside 10 in shared ownership.

The report said 12 flats at the district centre would be demolished, leading to an overall gain of 275 new homes in Blackbird Leys.

The work would take place in two stages.

The total cost of the scheme is more than £100 million, but because of grants and other forms of funding available the council would need to provide less new money.

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The city council is working with Catalyst, a housing association to carry out the work.

A recent planning application to demolish the Church of the Holy Family on Cuddleston Way is separate from the regeneration plan.

The scheme, which is designed to work alongside the overall regeneration project would see the grade-II listed brutalist church replaced with a new church, 20 flats in a four storey block, and community centre.

Oxford City Council's constitution was changed at the start of April to allow it to take decisions like the funding for Blackbird Leys without having to take a vote on them in the council chamber.

The council is planning to restore council meetings in the near future by using a digital video link.

But wants to make sure the technology is safe and can avoid internet trolls from entering meetings and causing chaos.

South Somerset Council was one of the first to hold digital meetings in April, with its first Zoom meeting overwhelmed with obscene images.