Consultation opens for Oxfordshire Cotswolds Garden Village

Residents can have their say on proposals for the Oxfordshire Cotswolds Garden Village, set to be built north of the A40 near Eynsham, at Eynsham Village Hall on September 6 and Hanborough Pavilion on September 20.

The exhibitions are part of the latest consultation on the development, which opened today and follows West Oxfordshire District Council publishing a 'preferred options' paper for the site.

The paper includes a draft vision for the garden village and proposals for policies including active travel and climate change, which residents can comment on until October 11.

Jeff Haine, cabinet member for strategic planning, said: "It is vital that residents and all interested parties are as engaged as possible in the design of the new garden village.

“This consultation is a key part of the process which will influence the content of the final draft Area Action Plan which we hope to publish later this year.”

The garden village is a key element of the district's local plan, which sets out how to build 15,950 houses and supporting infrastructure in West Oxfordshire between 2011 and 2031.

It is set to include a new science business park and its own facilities, such as a school and community resources.

The development will also unlock funds for infrastructure and transport improvements, including upgrades to the A40.

A park-and-ride north of Eynsham is expected to open next year, with the district council expecting the new facility and the nearby Hanborough railway station to give people an alternative to using their cars.

Next month's events will run from 2pm to 8pm, while the final round of consultation takes place later this year.

Visit westoxon.gov.uk to view the proposals in full.