Local Developments Update

There are a number of local developments with the potential to impact the Baldons.  Below is an update on these:

SODC Local Plan 2034

Planning Inspector Jonathan Bore MRTPI has been appointed to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan.  Many of the features of the plan may affect the Baldons eg new housing, new roads and so forth.  The virtual hearing takes place on 14th July and details can be found here.


Gravel extraction at Nuneham

This development has been put on hold by Oxford County Council after the plans were found to be unsound. The estimated gravel on the site was significantly less than previously calculated and alternative sites will be investigated by OCC. This is obviously welcome news for this proposal, but it may mean other communities and another piece of rural Oxfordshire elsewhere may be threatened by the OCC Minerals Policy (which in turn is required by central government for infrastructure development within the county and its surroundings). 

Oxford to Cambridge Expressway

In March 2020, the Budget and Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) announced the Ox Cam expressway was paused saying:  “We are now pausing further development of the scheme while we undertake further work on other potential road projects that could support the Government’s ambition for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc” 

The Budget also says that "the corridor of land connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge (the OxCam Arc) has been designated as a key economic priority".  This inevitably means development proposals will follow.  One such proposal has recently been highlighted in the local press that may well be connected to the future route of the Expressway. This is for Wyatts with Greystoke developers to turn the Waterstock Golf Club into a large Industrial Distribution Centre and Lorry hub.  It will affect many of the surrounding villages and towns, not just Waterstock.

The Oxford Mail did a piece on 20th May  relating to these newly-announced proposals to replace Waterstock Golf Club with a freight distribution hub.  Waterstock's response was in a second article on 3rd June.

Losing the green belt at Waterstock Golf Club would result in an increase in traffic and HGV movements, noise and pollution as well as establishing the principle of using Green Belt land for other purposes.  Public walking space amenity would be lost and a popular local golf course, sporting and recreational facility. It would also be damaging to the adjacent floodplain and wildlife habitats on the designated Waterstock Local Wildlife Site, home to otters, curlews and other protected species.  It would degrade one of the county’s premier recreational routes, The Oxfordshire Way, a 66-mile public right of way from Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire to the River Thames in Henley, which crosses the golf course.  

There will be a protest walk through the proposed site on July 1st at 1.30pm the attached leaflet has more details. Please do join the walk to support the protest if you can. 

Solar Farm proposals. 

The Solar farm proposals adjacent to the Baldons moves on.  The SODC planning offocer has requested a full environmental impact assessment for the  "Proposed Solar Farm and Battery Storage at Land South West of Cowley Substation” you can find the application here.

Contacting us
If you need help with shopping, getting medicines or just a chat please email baldonsinfo@gmail.com