“"Watching the moving vans come and going outside Chestnut Tower this week has been really inspiring, and marks an important moment for the community here in Blackbird Leys. After years of planning and construction, these new homes are now becoming exactly what they were designed to be, homes for local people. There is a huge, growing need for genuinely affordable homes in our city, so it is fantastic to see 61 brand new social-rent homes being made available to people on our housing register. More than 40% of these new apartments are being let to existing tenants of the council or local housing associations who wish to downsize or who have been experiencing overcrowded conditions. This in turn will free up more homes for social rent for local people on our housing register desperate for a secure affordable home in the city. However this is about much more than one building. Chestnut Tower is part of the wider regeneration of Blackbird Leys, with more affordable homes, including those for shared ownership helping residents get on the property ladder sitting alongside a new community centre, and improved public spaces. Seeing the first residents get their keys, the first bicycles being stored, and the first balconies being used, is a real, tangible sign that this transformation is happening, and that alongside our partners, we are delivering the homes Oxford needs."
First Residents Move into New Social Rent Homes at Chestnut Tower
Sixty-one new affordable homes are now occupied in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, as part of a major regeneration project.
By Laura Medhurst
••3 min read
AI
Exterior view of Chestnut Tower, a new social housing development in Blackbird Leys, Oxford.
Sixty-one new homes for social rent have welcomed their first residents at Chestnut Tower in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, marking a significant step in the area's regeneration.
Residents are now moving into 61 homes for social rent at the new Chestnut Tower in Blackbird Leys, a significant milestone in the regeneration of the area. The nine-storey development's homes are being allocated via Oxford City Council’s housing register, aiming to provide secure and affordable housing for local people.
Chestnut Tower is part of a larger regeneration plan for Blackbird Leys, a collaboration between the not-for-profit Housing Association Peabody and The Hill Group. This initiative will ultimately deliver 294 new affordable homes, comprising 174 for social rent and 120 for shared ownership, alongside a new community centre, retail spaces, enhanced public areas, and improved walking and cycling routes.
The 61 apartments at Chestnut Tower are exclusively for social rent and include one, two, and three-bedroom configurations. Seven of these homes are specifically designed to accommodate residents with mobility needs. Each residence features private outdoor space, such as a balcony or garden, and modern, energy-efficient interiors.
As the first residents settle in, construction continues across the wider Blackbird Leys scheme. Progress is being made on the new community centre, and over half of the 84 shared ownership homes at The Aviary on Knights Road are nearing completion. Additionally, the 'Cherry Tree Tower' development nearby is under construction, expected to provide a further 51 homes for social rent by the end of 2027.
Social rent homes are typically priced at approximately 40 per cent of the rent charged by private landlords in Oxford, offering residents greater security and more manageable housing costs.
Based on information from the official source: Oxford City Council (08/10/2026)
