Posts by Nemone Caldwell
CPRE Oxfordshire Demands Urgent Review as Reservoir Costs Spiral
New figures from water industry documents show that the price of the Southeast Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) has jumped from around £2.2 billion in 2022 to about £6.6 billion today – a dramatic price increase which raises major questions about whether the reservoir is still affordable, necessary, or good value for water bill payers. Despite…
Read MoreLast piece of Green Belt between Oxford and Kidlington threatened by ‘Supercomputer’ Science Park
Exeter College has announced plans to build a research and innovation district EXOq between the Peartree Interchange and Kidlington. This development will erode the last bit of Green Belt land between Oxford and Kidlington which is something we strongly oppose. Not only is it the countryside next door for over 166,000 Oxford residents, providing numerous…
Read MorePowering Up for a Greener Future
CPRE Oxfordshire have teamed up with local climate and nature action charity, Greener Henley, for a special Green Screen event at the Regal Picturehouse, Henley, on Wednesday 19 November, featuring the acclaimed new documentary Power Station — followed by a lively panel discussion on local renewable energy and community action. Power Station follows artist-activists Hilary…
Read MoreWest Oxfordshire launch their Spatial Strategy consultation
West Oxfordshire District Council has launched a 7-week Reg 18 “Spatial Option” public consultation as part of the development of their Local Plan 2043. The consultation runs from 2nd November to 22nd December and can be found here. They are holding a number of face-to-face consultation events and we encourage our members to go along to…
Read MoreThames Water launches Statutory Consultation into SESRO
On October 25th, Thames Water launched the Statutory Consultation on the SESRO project, which includes the controversial reservoir near Abingdon. We are currently working through the consultation papers but our initial observations are: As part of the consultation they are running several community information events, both in person and online. Monday 10 November 2025, 2pm…
Read MoreCPRE Oxfordshire: Countryside and Rural Principles for District Councils in Unitary Planning Proposals
As Oxfordshire’s governance evolves, CPRE Oxfordshire urges all district council to embed the following principles in policy and planning, to ensure the county’s countryside and rural communities are not only protected but strengthened for future generations. This is a guide for district councils when considering future unitary proposals. 1. Prioritise Protection of the Countryside New…
Read MoreBotley West Solar Farm – Final Hearings and How to Have Your Say
CPRE will be presenting at the final open hearing for the Botley West Solar Farm proposal on 10 October 2025. This marks the last opportunity for organisations and members of the public to share their views on the application. Our statement will focus on key areas of concern — including the continuing lack of data…
Read MoreLocal Plan setback for South and Vale
The Joint South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2041 has hit a major hurdle. Following the Inspectors’ hearings this summer, we’ve just learned that the Plan has been recommended for withdrawal for failing to meet its Duty to Cooperate. This is very disappointing news. CPRE Oxfordshire had supported the Plan, which proposed…
Read MoreNational CPRE Board Visits Oxfordshire
We were delighted to welcome the National CPRE Board to Oxfordshire in September for their awayday, giving us a valuable opportunity to highlight both the challenges and the successes we are seeing across the county. The day began with lunch at the inspirational FarmEd, where co-founder Ian Wilkinson shared the story behind the project and…
Read MoreBotley West Solar Farm: CPRE Oxfordshire Calls for Transparency and Protection of Farmland
CPRE Oxfordshire has submitted further responses to the Planning Inspectorate as part of the ongoing examination into the proposed Botley West Solar Farm. Our concerns centre on two key issues: the lack of transparency in soil data provided by Blenheim Estate, and the threat to Oxfordshire’s most productive farmland. Missing Soil Data Blenheim Estate has…
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