ONE of Oxford’s largest and wealthiest colleges has been blasted for looking to develop on the Green Belt ‘to increase profit margins’.
A consultation on plans to build a new neighbourhood and primary school south of Oxford Parkway station is live, and while exact numbers are yet to be decided, 690 homes have been allocated for the area in the Cherwell Local Plan.
Located to the east of Oxford Road and adjacent to the northern edge of Cutteslowe, the site is owned by Christ Church.
The University of Oxford college owns additional land to the east of the site, known as PR6a.
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Suzanne McIvor, secretary of the Harbord Road Area Residents’ Association, said the determination by Oxford colleges to build on the Green Belt ‘shows no signs of abating’.
She added: “We remain disappointed that Christ Church has chosen to develop this sensitive area of Green Belt in the Kidlington Gap, along with other areas of Green Belt around the city.
“It seems that this hugely wealthy college is already seeking to increase the number of homes on the site, presumably to increase profit margins.
“Four thousand five hundred homes between North Oxford and Begbroke is going to change this area dramatically but there is no reason to suppose that it will stop here.
“There doesn’t seem to be a lot that is new in this consultation. While the ambition to increase biodiversity by 20 per cent, on the face of it looks encouraging, it is difficult to see how this will be achieved in practice.
“The development will inevitably remove habitat for some of the many vulnerable species such as the skylarks and bats, and we have yet to see details of how this will be ameliorated.
“There is no value in putting up bat boxes if the habitat has been removed. Similarly, bird boxes are no good for skylarks.
“Whilst we welcome improved cycle and pedestrian facilities, those of us who live in this area know that this is an important wildlife corridor.
“Yet, contrary to the local plan, it seems that this corridor will not be replaced.”
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David Young spoke on behalf of GreenWay Oxon, a group of North Oxford Golf Club members campaigning against the possible closure of the club due to wider development in the area.
He said: “We should remember that this is very much the thin end of a very large wedge.
“The adopted Cherwell Local Plan earmarks some 4,500 houses north of Oxford, around Kidlington, Yarnton, Begbroke and Water Eaton.
“These are largely on university or college land, and remove nearly all of the historic Green Belt gap separating Kidlington from Oxford.
“They include the golf course, a critically important recreational and green lung on the very edge of the city.”
Christ Church held an initial public consultation last autumn, and is set to submit an outline planning application to Cherwell District Council upon the end of the latest consultation stage, which closes on July 29.
An online webinar event took place on Tuesday, with a recording available on the project website.
If approved, construction would start in late 2024, before finishing in 2030 or 2031.
James Lawrie, treasurer at Christ Church, said: “The site is allocated in the Cherwell Local Plan Partial Review, under site PR6a, for residential development to meet the housing needs of Oxford city, with the land having been removed from the Green Belt.
“The Local Plan was subject to an independent examination and following adoption was legally challenged, however the judge presiding found the plan to be lawful.
“Christ Church is committed to delivering the best possible scheme for Water Eaton.
“We’ve been engaging with local community representatives and stakeholders from an early stage in the planning process to give people the opportunity to contribute to the development of the masterplan and help us better understand any potential concerns and possibilities so we can take them into account.
“The current interim consultation we are carrying out is intended to give people the opportunity to provide feedback on certain elements of our evolving design for the site, as such there are items such as stewardship which are not set out.
“These will be covered in the more detailed information we make available when we carry out public consultation on our draft application for the site this autumn ahead of submitting our outline planning application to Cherwell District Council.”
Addressing the removal of habitats for wildlife, Mr Lawrie added: “As noted, our proposals are expected to deliver a 20 per cent gain in biodiversity which exceeds both the policy basis and that set out in the Environment Act.”
To take part in the consultation, visit: water-eaton.co.uk or email info@water-eaton.co.uk
Read more from this author
This story was written by Liam Rice, he joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.
Liam covers politics, travel and transport. He occasionally covers Oxford United.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Liam.rice@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailLiamRice
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