PROPOSALS for the multi-million-pound regeneration of Oxpens took a step forward yesterday.

The development that would neighbour Oxford Ice Rink is set to feature up to 400 homes, 10,400sqm of office space and a 155-bed hotel and leisure facilities.

And at a special meeting of Oxford City Council’s executive board, senior councillors agreed to formally approve a strategy for the project.

As revealed earlier this month in the Oxford Mail, this will involve the council forming a limited liability partnership (LLP) with developer Exemplar.

Under a deal brokered in negotiations involving the Cabinet Office, Exemplar is set to receive 7.9 acres of land at Oxpens owned by Department for Transport subsidiary London Continental Railways (LCR).

The council will then combine its own neighbouring 8.7 acres with land held by the developer to take the scheme forward.

City council leader Bob Price said the agreement was “a very important first step”.

The executive board of the new LLP company, which will be finalised by legal agreements, is expected to feature a halfand-half split of council officers and figures from Exemplar.

City council chief executive Peter Sloman added: “Once the council appoints someone to the board they must act in the interest of the company, so what we put in the contract is more important than anything else.”

At yesterday’s meeting, councillors also agreed a formal response to Oxfordshire County Council’s new transport strategy for up to 2031, Connecting Oxfordshire.