Oxpens Development Proposals
Development plans for Oxpens are being promoted by OxWED, a joint venture between Nuffield College and Oxford City Council. The 2nd stage of consultation was completed in November 2021 and the results are awaited.
Meanwhile, Oxford City Council are spending £300,000 of tax payers' money to do feasibility studies for a new £6m bridge to link the proposed University and Council developments planned for Oxpens and the Osney Mead Estate.
OxWED plans include:
3000 jobs: 500 000 sq ft of new workspace
Shops, restaurants, cafes: 30 000 sq ft
370 hotel rooms
230 student rooms
186 appartments: only 40% (74) would be for social housing
For the full details of the proposed plan visit
Only One Oxford summary of issues raised by the OxWED proposals
Oxford doesn't need more business, hotels, retail or restaurants
Oxford does not need new sites for business when post COVID, offices, retail, business parks and carparks stand empty. Redundant commerical land could be regenerated to solve Oxford's housing crisis.
City centre retail and restaurants are struggling to survive - they can’t get the footfall or the staff. Why build more?
Oxford has high levels of employment. But still Oxford City Council plan for a vast increase in jobs : they plan to create 10 times as many jobs as homes.
COVID has changed the way we live and work - these plans are out of date and harmful to our city. Oxford City Council should review the 2036 Local Plan.
Oxford needs more affordable homes, not more jobs!
The City Council plans many times more new jobs than new homes.
2355 people are on Oxford City Council’s housing waiting list
But Oxford City Council plans for 25 500 new tech jobs
More jobs will worsen the housing crisis and push up prices
Jobs without homes increase traffic and pollution
The Council could help to solve the housing crisis in Oxpens which was formerly scheduled to have 127 houses and which under the latest plans will take no houses at all.
Instead, if it provided truly affordable homes right in the City Centre, this would reduce traffic costs, congestion and pollution.
These affordable homes would be on the brownfield section of this site and spare the destruction of greenfield sites in the city
What about Oxpens Meadows and the Flood Plain?
Oxpens is an important part of the nature corridor along the Thames.
The flood plain meadows provide vital protection acting as sponges to protect against flooding and reducing sewage pollution of the river.
Climate change forecasts by the Environment Agency predict 40% increase in rainfall and 70% increase in peak river levels by 2080. Extreme weather events have already caused catastrophic flooding in Europe.
We need our floodplains more than ever to protect against flooding, provide habitat, biodiversity and fix carbon in the soil. The massive development proposals here are unfit for the climate and ecological emergency.
Take Action!
Contact your local councillor to ask why the City Council and Nuffield College plans for Oxpens are:
for jobs not affordable homes?
for massive development not protection of nature and flood plains?
why is the council supporting the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme with the damaging and ineffective channel through Hinksey Meadow? See more details here
Sign the Only One Oxford petition click here
Please forward this information to your neighbours, friends, work colleagues
