Vision for Barton Park boasts groundbreaking green credentials

Years of preparation and planning will come to a head in June when the foundations are dug on the land west of the Barton estate.

Roof-top gardens, views of green spaces and “insect hotels” have been included in the designs to accompany the first 237 homes, which will be built in Oxford’s biggest housing scheme for 100 years.

Plans for the first phase of homes in Barton Park have been submitted to Oxford City Council for approval on March 21 by housebuilders Hill Ltd.

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These artists’ impressions have been released showing the different types of housing, streets and gardens.

The development will provide a total of 885 homes, a primary school for 315 pupils, which will be managed by Cheney Academy Trust, and a square with shops.

Chairman of the East Area planning committee Roy Darke, who will meet with fellow politicians to decide whether house building can start, said he was pleased with the designs in the first section of the 38-hectare site.

He added that he was impressed that the social housing was mixed in with the private, which he thought would prevent segregation.

Martin Scarrott 

Martin Scarrott, 50, of North Way, said he thought the designs of the houses looked okay and was pleased that there were some homes with disabled access being built.

The grandfather did highlight traffic concerns and was also worried about the police provision on the new estate and traffic.

He added: “Will there be more community police officers to cope with the extra houses?”

“With the new park will there be more problems with antisocial behaviour and other crimes?”

Waterfront villas looking from the Linear Park

Barton resident Chaka Artwell said he was concerned over the housing affordability and hoped the council maintained its share in the development.

He also raised concerns over the current level of facilities for young people in the current Barton estate.

He added: “I understand that Grosvenor has been asked to fit the new dwellings with solar panels.

“Bearing in mind the city council says that solar panels assist its climate change agenda, this is a perfectly acceptable and sensible demand, as all new homes should lead the way in sustainable design and construction.”

The first phase of 237 proposed properties, will see 95 council-owned homes built on land west of Barton from June, and include a range of three to five-bedroom houses and several blocks of flats.

The Barton LLP, a partnership between the city council and Grosvenor, won planning permission for the whole 885-home development in 2013.

More than 20 different types of housing have been designed for Barton Park, each differing depending on the area of the estate.

Materials used for the homes will be influenced by styles of homes throughout Oxford., including Walton Street, Jericho and buildings such as Queen’s College. Grey blue satin finished brick is being used in some of the flats.

The plans show four-storey, one and two-bedroom apartments along the A40, and at the entrance to the main street, which has been named Barton Fields Road.

On top of one of the apartment blocks will be a secure community roof garden, with small trees and seating areas.

Along the main road in the estate, there is a mixture of three- and four-bedroom homes planned and there will be two-bedroom homes in one section known as Gladstone Gardens. The square will be a public garden and at the “heart” of the community. Waterfront villas and some terraced housing will also be built in the first phase.

The project has been split into three house-building phases and is likely to be completed by 2025.

ROOFTOP WILL BE THE PLACE TO RELAX

ROOFTOP GARDEN 
THE “podium garden” will be available for all living in the apartment buildings.
The communal roof garden aims to provide an area for residents to relax, with trees and seating.
A three-metre high wall will shield noise from the A40, with the flats acting as a shield for the rest of the development. Bedrooms within the flats will be situated inwards for the dual carriage way to minimise the effect of noise.

MIX OF TERRACED HOUSES AND 'VILLAS'

LINEAR PARK
LINEAR Park, above, will run the entire length of the houses at the back of the first phase and will include lakes, oak, lime and birch trees, and a park area. 
All the houses along the Linear Park, which will be made up of waterfront “villas” and some terraced houses, have been designed with front and back gardens and the apartments near the park will have green roofs.

GARDEN USED TO INTEGRATE COMMUNITY

GLADSTONE GARDENS 
THIS area will be a public garden at the heart of the community.
It has been designed to be environmentally friendly and be used to create wildlife habitats.
The gardens will include native plants and trees to benefit birds and insects, and provide shelter for small mammals.
It will also feature an “insect hotel” as well as bird boxes and baths.
Benches and lawn space will be created for residents to use as well as play areas for children. Builders Hill Ltd hope it can be used to integrate the community.