Developers Oxford University College Christ Church and its partner Dorchester Residential Management have received the green light to build 1,450 new homes at Bayswater Brook to the north of Barton.
The proposal includes 120 units of assisted living, new community use buildings, business and health buildings, a new primary school, open space, allotments, habitats, recreation facilities and public park areas.
Those living nearby are fearful of the flood risk owing to concerns raised by the Environment Agency.
READ MORE: Oxford: Major scheme for more than 1,400 homes permitted
Site masterplan (Image: South Oxfordshire District Council) They say there is no plan for where the sewage from the development would go and have written to deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, asking her to overturn the decision.
Ginette Camps-Walsh, chairman of Beckley and Stowood Parish Council, said: “Some 20 per cent of our parishioners live at Wick and Lower Farms, and will be surrounded by the LnBB development.
“We are angry that the councillors on the planning committee were not informed about the Environment Agency’s conditions that would have reduced the number of houses to the original level in the Local Plan, around 1,100, and helped to prevent worsening flooding for existing local residents.
“The planning committee should have had an adjournment, so councillors could be fully and properly informed.
“How can they make informed decisions without full, transparent and unbiased evidence?”
Angela Dickinson, from Beautiful Barton, was concerned about the increasing frequency and scale of flooding seen in Barton since Barton Park was built and raised high above its original flood plain level.
The huge development would be built on the hills to the north also above the flood plain.
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One Barton resident who has lived in her now flood affected home for 40 years said: “The anxiety I feel now every time it rains is horrendous.
“I just keep thinking I need to get my dad, 76, to sell up and we move, but why should we have to?
“It’s just one big worry after another. And it’s not fair on the people that live here to have this constant threat to our homes.”
Patti Lee, honorary secretary of the Wick Farm Residents Association, said: “No amount of mitigation will ever compensate for the total devastation this will cause to our community, our wildlife, our local services in addition the huge detrimental impact to the increased traffic on local roads and the ongoing major flood issues which we have all recently been experiencing.”
A spokesperson for Dorchester Residential and Christ Church said: “In October the Bayswater Brook project took a significant step forward with the hybrid proposal for 1,450 much needed new homes, a substantial parkland area, primary school, and local centre including shops, co-working space, and restaurant being approved by South Oxfordshire’s Planning Committee. 50 per cent of the homes will be Affordable housing.
“Throughout the development of the proposals, we have been conscious of climate change and flooding issues and have been working closely with our consultees including the Environment Agency and Oxfordshire County Council (the Lead Flood Authority). The result is a plan which provides the homes, open spaces and infrastructure that Oxford needs while addressing flooding concerns.
“Our approach will ultimately reduce flood risk on our site and for existing homes on nearby roads through the delivery of a significant increase in floodplain storage, flood relief culverts to divert more water away from existing homes, re-meandering the Bayswater Brook to restore natural flow and increase capacity within the brook itself and an exemplary surface water drainage scheme with 18 attenuation basins to reduce surface water run off to below current greenfield rates. These measures have the added benefit of enhancing river corridors to improve water flow, create new habitat and opportunities for wildlife to flourish creating substantially more Biodiversity Net Gain in these areas than Government standards.
“Our approach has been reviewed and confirmed with the Environment Agency and Oxfordshire County Council with no objections raised on surface water and flood alleviation schemes raised in their final comments.
“The next phase of work on the project involves working up the details of the first detailed applications for homes and community infrastructure. We look forward to seeing this project flourish into a fantastic place to live.”
South Oxfordshire District Council will hold an extra meeting on Monday, November 11 to make a decision on the Noodle Bridge, which is linked to the development.
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About the author
Toby is a senior reporter who has a particular interest in covering planning and local government.
He joined in September 2024 having been a reporter at the Hampshire Chronicle for three years.
Toby studied at the University of Brighton and can be found on X through the handle @JournoToby