A PLAN to build 86 flats and houses at a site in Cowley has been changed, so all the new homes will be considered 'affordable'.

Oxford City Council granted permission for developer Cantay to build on a playing field at William Morris Close last November.

There was outcry at the time about the impact on traffic and nearby homes.

Now, it has emerged that financial services company Legal and General is set to develop the site, with public money totalling £3,470,000 from the Oxfordshire Growth Deal helping to fund infrastructure there.

READ AGAIN about the row over the flats on the playing field here

Oxford City Council signed off on the funding earlier this week.

A document describing the development to the council said William Morris Close had become eligible for the funding because all homes being built there would now be '100 per cent affordable' according to the national definition.

This is because Legal and General plan to develop the 86 homes as 38 Social Rented homes, 12 at Affordable Rent, and 36 as shared ownership homes.

Previous plans had the homes on site allocated as 34 at Social Rent, nine in shared ownership; and 43 to be sold on the open market.

Legal and General plans to start work on the site in January 2021.