WORK is well under way to create a new 17 space car park for residents of an Oxford estate.

Grass banks in Briar Way, Blackbird Leys, have been dug up in preparation for the installation of the landscaped parking area.

Oxford City Council is carrying out the work as part of its great estates programme and comes after residents complained of problems with parking near their homes on the street which has very few driveways.

The grass verges of the estate have often been used for ‘informal parking’ and concerns have been raised that emergency services vehicles would be unable to make it down some narrow roads.