Oxford Grandpont Bridge protesters form human chain

A group of around 40 people gathered at the Grandpont Nature Park in Oxford where the city council has approved plans for a new Oxpens River Bridge.

Councillors at a planning meeting in March gave the green light to the contentious pathway which will link Osney Mead to Oxpens, the site of a new Oxford quarter.

READ MORE: Housing chief hits back on criticism over homes near Oxford

But a planning review committee will meet again at County Hall on 6pm on Thursday (April 18) after 16 councillors called for the approval to be reconsidered.

'Re-use not re-build'. (Image: Contribution.)

This comes as objectors questioned the need for an additional bridge at the nature reserve when there was already one "two-minutes away" and suggested it would "trash" the local habitat.

A spokesman for the Save Grandpont Nature Park group said: "If granted planning permission, this bridge is all set to be a hugely expensive and destructive white elephant.

"£10million of public money - from a fund which is supposed to facilitate affordable housing - has been set aside to subsidise what is essentially a private commercial development of Oxford University, being built on our public green spaces."

Oxpens Bridge CGI. (Image: Oxford City Council)

Oxford City Council insists the bridge will unlock housing on Osney Mead and give residents active travel choices into town.

Cabinet member for climate justice and zero carbon Oxford, Anna Railton, had said at the previous meeting: "There are things that are not ideal such as the width of the bridge and the tree removal is not perfect.

"But there are things to be said in its favour.

Anna Railton. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

"It has been well-designed and it does unlock housing on Osney Mead and gives those residents active travel choices into town.

"This housing is still housing and will bring public benefit to Oxford."

The housing referred to is graduate, post-doc and staff facilities which would be located at the linking Oxpens site.

The bridge will link Osney Mead to Oxpens. (Image: Oxford City Council)

Protesters are set to show their opposition to the development outside county hall from 5.30pm, before the start of Thursday's meeting.

The objecting Save Grandpont Nature Park spokesman concluded: "Most of the main wooded copse in the park will be destroyed to make way for the Oxpens River Bridge and its 3.5metre concrete feeder paths if the bridge goes ahead.

Protesters will also assemble outside county hall before the meeting. (Image: Contribution.)

"Local people do not need this bridge as we already have a perfectly good one less than two minutes walk from the site of the proposed new one.”

The application had been passed in March with five councillors approving, two refusing and one abstaining.