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Cherwell District Council is planning an “Eco-Development” of 5,000 homes and jobs on a site of approx 340 hectares to the northwest of Bicester, adjacent to the existing urban area at Howes Lane and Lords Lane. It replaces the ill-conceived proposal for 15,000 homes at Weston Otmoor, which CPRE Oxfordshire fought hard against. Importantly for CPRE, the number of dwellings in this eco-extension will be part of, not in addition to, what CPRE considers the already high target set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy. So, although Cherwell as a District still has to identify sites for 13,400 new homes in the period 2006-26, the eco-extension at Bicester will make up part of this total.

In its Draft Core Strategy document (February 2010) Cherwell insisted that the eco-town proposal should integrate with and complement the built-up area of Bicester, whilst ensuring it will be a net zero-carbon development. CPRE is keen to see if this and other ambitious green targets can be achieved in full, given our discomfort over the fact the whole site is currently greenfield.

P3Eco, the firm which is leading the consortium planning to develop the eco-town, has secured land for the first phase of the development, which may take a total of 30 years to build. This first phase will see the construction of 1,000 eco-friendly homes. A planning application for 393 homes was approved in August 2011 and building could begin as early as February 2012.

While CPRE Oxfordshire is generally supportive fo the eco-development, we have expressed our concern that the first phase of the NW Bicester eco–town has advanced rapidly without an agreed Masterplan and we have recommended that a clear and robust Masterplan is adopted to guide the scheme in a coherent manner whilst ensuring that its intended eco-credentials are being met.

See: CPRE Bicester District response to CDC consultation May 2011

The Masterplan for the entire site is expected to be submitted to the Cherwell District Council in early 2012.

Site of proposed North West Bicester Eco-Development

Find Out More

Below are a list of links to further information regarding this campaign:

See: NW Bicester Eco-Development (external website)

See: P3Eco Ltd (external website)

See: Cherwell District Council Eco-Town News (external website)

See: Cherwell District Council Draft Core Strategy (external website)

See: Planning Policy Statement (PPS): Eco-towns - A supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 (July 2009) (external website)