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Housing

Work has officially started on new homes in Blackbird Leys 🎉

Construction of nearly 300 affordable homes, new shops and a new community centre in Blackbird Leys is officially underway! 🤩👷

Groundbreaking marks the dawn of a construction project and yesterday Peabody and Hill invited council leaders and staff to celebrate the start of digging onsite.

The redevelopment will see 294 affordable new homes on two sites. A new district centre will have 210 homes, with 174 of these let to people on our housing register and 36 shared ownership homes. The 84 homes in Knights Road will all be shared ownership.

The district centre will also see new shops and a purpose-built modern community centre, as well as green spaces, road improvements and a special cycle route. 🎉

The Glow Tree sculpture by the old community centre has been carefully removed and put into safe storage. The Glow Tree will return to its rightful home outside a new community centre once the redevelopment is complete.

New low-carbon homes coming soon in Littlemore

We have started building 10 new low-carbon homes on a former depot site off Lanham Way. When completed, five council homes will be let to people on our waiting list. The remaining five homes will be sold for shared ownership by our housing company, OX Place.

The development will be called Youngs Way, after a former vicar at the nearby church of St Mary and St Nicholas. The name was proposed by Littlemore Parish Council.

The homes in Youngs Way will be highly energy-efficient, making them more comfortable and cheaper to run ✅. This will be achieved by high levels of insulation and air tightness, electric heating, air source heat pumps and solar panels.

Empty Homes Week 🙌

As it's Empty Homes Week this week (4-10 March), we’ve been calling on owners of empty homes to help ease the housing crisis by bringing them back into use. 🏠

There are around 695 privately owned homes in Oxford that have been unoccupied for more than six months. We know how hard it can be finding somewhere to live and how expensive it is, so this is something we can’t afford to see continue.

In partnership with owners and estates, we’ve helped bring 35 empty homes back into use in 2023/24. If you’d like to report an empty home or find out how we can help you turn your empty property back into a much-needed home, visit our website.

Government changes to short lets insufficient

As part of its Spring Budget earlier this week, the government announced new measures to tackle short lets.

In response, Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: "We welcome the abolition of the Furnished Holiday Lettings tax regime. It was madness to incentivise short lets when cities like Oxford desperately need homes.

"We have been campaigning for changes to short lets since 2018. Alongside last month's announcement that short lets will soon require planning permission, it is good to finally see the government beginning to get a grip on an industry that can and has caused misery for communities.

"However, the government has given landlords a 12-month taxation grace period, and an amnesty for existing short lets.

"Oxford is a world-famous city and we welcome millions of visitors every year, but accommodating tourists shouldn't be a free-for-all at the expense of much-needed homes and local communities. The government must do more."

Communities

Lord Mayor of Oxford nominated for honorary award for commitment to community 🎉

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Lubna Arshad, is set to be recognised for her achievements and contributions towards the community at this year’s SHE Awards. 

The SHE (Saluting, Honouring, Excellence) awards take place today – International Women’s Day – and recognise and celebrate the achievements of women from all walks of life.

Councillor Arshad was born and raised in Oxford. Her passion for equality and fairness led her to election as a City Councillor in 2018, representing Cowley Marsh initially, and later, due to electoral boundary changes, serving Temple Cowley.✨

She made history last year when she became the first woman of colour, the first Muslim woman of intersectional background, and the youngest person ever to be named Lord Mayor of Oxford.

Economy

Electric cargo bikes for businesses on trial in Oxford! 🤩🚴‍♀️

We have partnered with Velocity Cycles Couriers to trial free electric cargo bike deliveries for businesses in the city. ♻️✅

Velocity’s couriers will offer same-day and next-day zero emission deliveries within the ring road. 

1. Oxford Cheese Company 
2. iScream 
3. The Garden 
4. Jemini 
5. Gulp Fiction 
6. Blue Blood 
7. Wicked Chocolate 
8. Shepherd & Woodward 
9. Walters 
10. Hoyles and more

The trial period will last 12 weeks and throughout the this time, we will be subsidising the cost of deliveries made using the electric cargo bikes. The initiative will then be reviewed at the end of May.    

Businesses who want to take part in the 12 week partnership can contact Velocity at hello@velocitycc.co.uk or by calling Velocity on 01865 249 854. 🎉

Climate Emergency

Residents encouraged to apply as criteria for Home Upgrade Grant expands🎉

Residents in Oxford are being encouraged to apply for free energy efficiency measures, after the income eligibility for the Home Upgrade Grant has been raised from £31,000 to £36,000.  

The government funding aims to help homes that do not use gas as their main source of heating to install free energy efficiency measures including cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, solar panels, air source heat pumps, and more. ♻️✅  

The funding, which is being coordinated through the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, is open to both homeowners and those living in private rented properties.  

Landlords may also be able to benefit from the funding if their tenants are eligible. 

Oxford

Alternatives for voting if you can't be there in-person ✨

Consultations

Corporate Strategy 2024-28 Last month we published our draft Corporate Strategy 2024-28. The draft strategy sets out our plans over the next four years across our five priorities: Good, affordable homes Strong, fair economy Thriving communities Zero carbon Oxford  A well-run council We've worked with local partners, organisations, community groups and businesses to develop the strategy, but now we want to hear your thoughts. This consultation ends on 21 March 2024.

Proposed changes to parks and open spaces byelaws in Oxford We're asking Oxford residents and park users to  give feedback on proposed changes to existing byelaws on the city's 130 parks and open spaces. 🌳🍃 The byelaws, which have not been amended for over 25 years, provide a basic set of rules to ensure people behave in ways that respect the enjoyment and safety of others.   The proposed changes include: revoking old rules relating to ball games, climbing and wild swimming 🏊‍♀️  amending byelaws to better reflect the way Oxford’s parks 🌳 are used – for example, seeking public views on removing the blanket ban on cycling to allow considerate cycling in parks making new byelaws to deal with new challenges and changing priorities that have emerged over the last 25 years, like e-scooters.  This consultation ends on 8 April 2024.

Oxfordshire County Council

Community funding increased to £350k thanks to stronger partnership 🌟

A partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) has resulted in 26 local grassroots organisations and charities receiving a share of almost £350,000.

A total of £325,000 from the county council was distributed to 24 local charities. Grants ranged from £5,000 for the Lawrence Nursing Home team to develop sessions that enhanced people’s mental and physical health, to £20,000 to help community interest company.

In the previous round of funding, the Children Heard and Seen charity received a grant of £7,000 🎉.  The organisation supports children, young people and their families who are impacted by parental imprisonment.

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