More than 80 new homes many of them 'affordable' are to be built on the site of an Oxford college, to help fund its £86m redevelopment.

The homes will be built on surplus land in Oxpens as part of the transformation of Oxford and Cherwell Valley College's campuses.

The scheme, which will change the face of that area of the city, will be one of the largest undertaken in England, and will take three to five years to complete.

The plan to transform the college's city centre site into state-of-the-art learning facilities has won the backing of Oxford city councillors.

And the college confirmed the sale of land for housing next to the Oxpens campus would go towards funding the scheme. More than 80 homes will be built - 65 per cent townhouses and 35 per cent flats.

Councillors have also been assured that "a significant proportion" of the new homes will be affordable. Under the plan existing college amenities such as the restaurant and hair and beauty salons will be modernised.

And the college site will offer new community facilities including a café bar area, theatre/entertainment hall, conference facilities and possibly a gym.

Redevelopment plans for the college's Blackbird Leys campus are due to go before city councillors next month. Most of the funding will come from the Learning and Skills Council and selling off surplus land.

College principal Sally Dicketts said: "These are exciting times for Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, and for the city of Oxford.

"Now we have the master-plan approved, we can get under way with making our vision to be an outstanding college of further education a reality.

"We want to deliver two campuses that everybody can be proud of and put OCVC well and truly on the map with an inspirational, cutting-edge learning establishment."