Plans to build hundreds of homes and a new community centre in Oxford have been approved despite parish councillors warning the lack of parking provision would cause “disruption”.

A planning application to build nearly 300 homes in the heart of Blackbird Leys was approved in an Oxford City Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday evening.

The meeting was packed with members of the public.

Neil Homer, who spoke on behalf of Blackbird Leys parish council, warned that parish councillors were supportive of regeneration plans but “not at any cost”.

Oxford Mail: Design for Blackbird Leys developmentDesign for Blackbird Leys development (Image: Oxford City Council)

The development would result in 293 rented and shared ownership homes built across two sites, the District Centre and Knights Road, but no changes were made to the provision of only 84 car parking spaces.

David Foster, speaking on behalf of the Peabody housing trust, told councillors that the redevelopment would lead to a 64 per cent reduction in carbon emissions and deliver a £1.5 million boost to the local economy once the new retail and commercial spaces were fully functioning.

He said: “This development will renew the centre of Blackbird Leys.

“And will create transformational development for the community as a whole.”

However, despite commitments to 100 per cent affordable housing, the Blackbird Leys Parish Council chairman Anthony Church said the council would now ask the Secretary of State to call the application in.

He said: “We don’t feel that the planning application is of benefit to the people who live on the estate.”

Mr Church highlighted there had been little discussion about how local infrastructure such as schools would cope with “capacity”, with the introduction of 290 homes.

The chairman said the new homes wouldn’t benefit those on the estate as they “will not be the people who get those homes”.

Oxford Mail: Designs for Knights RoadDesigns for Knights Road (Image: Oxford City Council)

Gill Taylor, a Blackbird Leys parish councillor who has lived on the estate for more than five decades, accused the council of allowing the planning process to be rushed.

She said: “I don’t think they’ve considered people’s lives around the centre.”

Ms Taylor also raised concerns about the limited parking which has been proposed and said people were “not aware” of the incoming disruption.

She said: “You can’t take tools on the bus.”

City councillor Laurence Fouweather echoed these parking concerns and suggested the controlled parking zone was adjusted to the whole of the affected area.

The size of the planned new community centre was also brought up as an issue by city councillor Susanna Pressel who highlighted the issues caused by closing the community centre on Cowley Road.

She said: “Every day in my ward, they have been turning people away.

“We will be having far more residents here but less space.”

Oxford city council's cabinet member for housing Linda Smith said:“This is a big leap forward in realising our longstanding ambition to breathe renewed life into Blackbird Leys.

"I’m particularly pleased we’ve got the green light for nearly 300 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership, with new and improved shops and community facilities."