People living in Greater Leys have moved one step closer to having their own shop with help from Oxford City Council, writes Emma Henry.

Plans to open a Spar supermarket in Dunnock Way hit a stumbling block earlier this year as the site was thought to fall within the terms of a covenant owned by Morrells brewery preventing alcohol being sold within half-a-mile of its Blackbird pub in Blackbird Leys.

Oxford United, whose planned Minchery Farm stadium also fell within the terms of the covenant, challenged the ruling and High Court judges ruled the covenant could only apply to council-owned land.

The land where the proposed shop would sit is owned by the council, but preparations are being made to sell the patch off as freehold to Spar supermarkets which would clear the way for construction work to start. An off licence is considered vital to make the shop viable.

Blackbird Leys councillor Val Smith said: "This store is desperately needed because, apart from anything else, it will have a Post Office.

"We have to go through the paper formality of transferring the freehold before work can start, but we are talking about a few months.

"This has been a big fight for Leys residents, who have really worked hard on this and it's nice for them we're reaching a positive solution.

It's a good battle well won."