Weston Otmoor
Encyclopedia
Weston Otmoor is a proposed new eco-town
in the north of Oxfordshire
in countryside to the east of the village of Weston-on-the-Green
. It would be next to Junction 9 of the M40 motorway
and 7 miles (11.3 km) north of Oxford
and is one of 15 bids shortlisted by the Department of Communities and Local Government on 3 April 2008. Eco-towns are subject to a consultation by the Department of Communities and Local Government ending 30 June 2008.
Detailed plans for the half of the site SE of the A34 await further ecological study. This area includes the Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve (Wendlebury Meads) and ancient woodland.
There will be a large commercial area for offices and industry. No detail of commerce/industry given in proposals. The environmental and ecological impact of these areas has not been established.
Normally 15,000 dwellings would be expected to generate 10,000 car journeys at peak hours. A 100% modal shift to rail is completely unrealistic. It is therefore highly likely the proposal will break the eco-town rules for sustainability and for exemplary design given the existing levels of road congestion at the site.
Cherwell District Council has already planned for 12,000 new houses over the next two decades and these are to be sited to develop and support existing towns.
The developers suggest that a completely new town must be built because attempts to improve transport and housing in Oxford have failed, not because they are an impossibility.
Other more appropriate sites exist, such as the entirely brownfield RAF Upper Heyford.
Unemployment in both Cherwell District and Oxfordshire is half the national average. New jobs are not needed and would have to be taken from elsewhere.
which frequently floods in winter. Increased water run-off will flood the village of Islip and Otmoor
, an RSPB nature reserve
and area of semi-wetland. The small village of Wendlebury, half a mile from the proposed site, is often subject to in-house flooding. The water flows from the site towards and into the village. Building on this flood plain will only exacerbate the problem.
25% of the site is within the Oxford greenbelt and much of Weston on the Green is within a conservation area.
Development would destroy the Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and ancient woodland. The site is almost entirely working farmland with hedgerows and crops that sustain diverse wildlife.
The dramatic rise in food prices requires a large increase in agricultural output. " Farmland will be just too important for greenfield development".
The development includes a power station for Combined Heat and Power. A 300 megawatt gas fired cogeneration plant would emit up to 1,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas per day. If run on wood chips, it would consume 5,000 tonnes daily. If run on rubbish, it would consume all of Oxfordshire's annual output. Prevailing winds will carry any particulate fallout and pollutants from the proposed power station (NW corner of site) over Bicester. Unless the power station runs on biomass, the town will violate the eco-town zero carbon rule.
The proposed eco-town will not have "higher order" facilities (those of a larger town such as Oxford) and would thus increase car use. Currently the villages of Wendlebury, Chesterton, Islip and Woodeaton suffer increasing traffic due to the establishment of a ‘rat run’ with motorists avoiding the heavily congested A34/A41. The construction of Western Otmoor would further add to the over-use of the rural road network in this area of North Oxfordshire.
"It may be better to look at the possibility of creating eco-extensions to existing communities, rather than completely new towns."
The distinguished designer and broadcaster, Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs
), is building two eco-suburbs of 200 homes each in Swindon. He regards these developments as experimental and aims "not to create ring-fenced ghettos but to focus on the social and physical relationships between Hab projects and the wider community". Eco-town design is in its infancy and Weston Otmoor is far too big to used as an experiment.
The eco-town will not have the retail or leisure facilities of a large town such as Oxford. One of the few benefits for low income families of living in a large city is that many facilities, often free of charge or discounted, are on their doorstep or a short bus ride away. This will not be the case for the eco-town in the middle of the countryside. The bias towards low income households, the elimination of cars and the lack of facilities appears designed to increase the deprivation of already disadvantaged families and to contain them in a rural ghetto.
51.862°N 1.208°W
Eco-towns (UK)
Eco-towns are a government-sponsored programme of new towns to be built in England, which are intended to achieve exemplary standards of sustainability.In 2007, the...
in the north of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
in countryside to the east of the village of Weston-on-the-Green
Weston-on-the-Green
Weston-on-the-Green is a village and civil parish about southwest of Bicester.-Manor:Wigod of Wallingford held the manor of Weston at the time of the Norman conquest of England. Wigod died shortly after the conquest, leaving his estates including Weston to his son-in-law, the Norman baron Robert...
. It would be next to Junction 9 of the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
and 7 miles (11.3 km) north of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and is one of 15 bids shortlisted by the Department of Communities and Local Government on 3 April 2008. Eco-towns are subject to a consultation by the Department of Communities and Local Government ending 30 June 2008.
Principal features
Located 7 miles (11.3 km) north of Oxford next to Junction 9 of the M40 motorway.- 828 hectares, 2046 acres (8.3 km²). 84% of this is working farmland. The other 16% is an entirely grass airfield. 250ha is within the Oxford greenbelt
- 35,000 people
- 15,000 dwellings (10,000 initially)
- 12,000 jobs (Few details have been published)
- An inhabited bridge over the A34 dual carriageway, taking inspiration from Birmingham and Florence, will be the signature architectural feature.
- The prospective developer is Parkridge Holdings UK
Detailed plans for the half of the site SE of the A34 await further ecological study. This area includes the Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve (Wendlebury Meads) and ancient woodland.
Elimination of the car
An eco-town feature will be the transport system:-- There will be a single point of road traffic entry/exit for the whole town near J9 of the A34/M40.
- It is envisaged that the majority of workers in this town will commute either by car, bus or train to work. The commutes will vary from 10 miles (16.1 km) [Oxford] to 70 miles (112.7 km) [London]
- It is thought that Prologis, the parent company of Parkridge Developments will base a transport depot at this location giving trucks/lorries easy access to the region's road and motorway network. The ecological/environmental impact of this development is yet to be determined.
- Travel within the town will be by free tram. Homes will never be more than 200m from a stop.
- Travel to Oxford and Bicester will be free by train from a new station and improved railway line. The proposed East West Rail Link would provide a rail link to Milton Keynes at a cost of some £150-200m. The funding source for this feature is yet to be determined.
- There will be a park and ride service from J9 of the M40.
Small communities
Small schools will be located throughout the town and will be a focus of the urban architecture.- Many small shops so that they are never far from any home.
- A "proper" high street.
Layout
There will be extensive green spaces ("green infrastructure") and allotment gardens for all. This will require substantial land area and is not visible on the proposal plans.There will be a large commercial area for offices and industry. No detail of commerce/industry given in proposals. The environmental and ecological impact of these areas has not been established.
Energy and environment
- A proposed combined heat and power (CHP) station in the NW corner of the site.
- Waste disposal innovation.
- Water management innovation.
Housing
Housing will be located in a compact, high population density urban core of 220 hectares (543.6 acre).- The distribution of dwelling types will be provide a greater proportion of affordable housing.
Unsustainable, unrealistic
Figures for expected car ownership and traffic flows are unavailable from the developers. This renders an objective assessment of whether the proposal meets eco-town exemplary transport criteria impossible and the ongoing government consultation meaningless.Normally 15,000 dwellings would be expected to generate 10,000 car journeys at peak hours. A 100% modal shift to rail is completely unrealistic. It is therefore highly likely the proposal will break the eco-town rules for sustainability and for exemplary design given the existing levels of road congestion at the site.
Inappropriate, unnecessary
Oxfordshire County Council policy is to concentrate development around the county towns, not on working farmland.Cherwell District Council has already planned for 12,000 new houses over the next two decades and these are to be sited to develop and support existing towns.
The developers suggest that a completely new town must be built because attempts to improve transport and housing in Oxford have failed, not because they are an impossibility.
Other more appropriate sites exist, such as the entirely brownfield RAF Upper Heyford.
Unemployment in both Cherwell District and Oxfordshire is half the national average. New jobs are not needed and would have to be taken from elsewhere.
Impact on existing towns
Bicester suffers from lack of infrastructure, limited social and community facilities, and a town centre that is in dire need of development. Resource competition would have a negative impact, as it also would on nearby Kidlington.Water stress
The site is on a flood plain and in an area of high "water stress" or shortage. It drains into the River Ray and thence, after 3 km, into the River CherwellRiver Cherwell
The River Cherwell is a river which flows through the Midlands of England. It is a major tributary of the River Thames.The general course of the River Cherwell is north to south and the 'straight-line' distance from its source to the Thames is about...
which frequently floods in winter. Increased water run-off will flood the village of Islip and Otmoor
Otmoor
Otmoor or Ot Moor is an area of wetland and wet grassland in Oxfordshire, England, located halfway between Oxford and Bicester. It is about above sea level, and has an area of approximately ....
, an RSPB nature reserve
RSPB Otmoor
RSPB Otmoor is a nature reserve , run by the RSPB, within the wider area of Otmoor, in Oxfordshire, England. It was established in 1997 and restored large areas of marshland....
and area of semi-wetland. The small village of Wendlebury, half a mile from the proposed site, is often subject to in-house flooding. The water flows from the site towards and into the village. Building on this flood plain will only exacerbate the problem.
Ecological impact
By using an entirely greenfield site, the eco-town rule requiring a "net benefit in landscape and bio-diversity" is immediately broken. The proposal is by definition not an eco-town.25% of the site is within the Oxford greenbelt and much of Weston on the Green is within a conservation area.
Development would destroy the Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and ancient woodland. The site is almost entirely working farmland with hedgerows and crops that sustain diverse wildlife.
The dramatic rise in food prices requires a large increase in agricultural output. " Farmland will be just too important for greenfield development".
The development includes a power station for Combined Heat and Power. A 300 megawatt gas fired cogeneration plant would emit up to 1,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas per day. If run on wood chips, it would consume 5,000 tonnes daily. If run on rubbish, it would consume all of Oxfordshire's annual output. Prevailing winds will carry any particulate fallout and pollutants from the proposed power station (NW corner of site) over Bicester. Unless the power station runs on biomass, the town will violate the eco-town zero carbon rule.
The proposed eco-town will not have "higher order" facilities (those of a larger town such as Oxford) and would thus increase car use. Currently the villages of Wendlebury, Chesterton, Islip and Woodeaton suffer increasing traffic due to the establishment of a ‘rat run’ with motorists avoiding the heavily congested A34/A41. The construction of Western Otmoor would further add to the over-use of the rural road network in this area of North Oxfordshire.
Sociological aspects
If eco-towns are not created where the jobs and services are, we will create ghettos"It may be better to look at the possibility of creating eco-extensions to existing communities, rather than completely new towns."
The distinguished designer and broadcaster, Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs
Grand Designs
Grand Designs is a British television series produced by Talkback Thames and broadcast on Channel 4 which features unusual and often elaborate architectural home-building projects....
), is building two eco-suburbs of 200 homes each in Swindon. He regards these developments as experimental and aims "not to create ring-fenced ghettos but to focus on the social and physical relationships between Hab projects and the wider community". Eco-town design is in its infancy and Weston Otmoor is far too big to used as an experiment.
The eco-town will not have the retail or leisure facilities of a large town such as Oxford. One of the few benefits for low income families of living in a large city is that many facilities, often free of charge or discounted, are on their doorstep or a short bus ride away. This will not be the case for the eco-town in the middle of the countryside. The bias towards low income households, the elimination of cars and the lack of facilities appears designed to increase the deprivation of already disadvantaged families and to contain them in a rural ghetto.
External links
- Communities and Local Government: Eco-towns
- Parkridge's Weston Otmoor website
- Proposal for Weston Otmoor by Parkridge Holdings
- The Weston Front Campaign
- The Weston Otmoor Militia
- The unofficial Weston Front Campaign
51.862°N 1.208°W