Weston Otmoor Eco-town

Weston Otmoor is a proposed eco-town in Oxfordshire.
The eco-town concept and individual proposals are subject to a consultation by the Department of Communities and Local Government ending 30th June, 2008
Weston Otmoor is one of 15 bids shortlisted by the Department of Communities and Local Government Government on 3rd April, 2008.

Principal Features

The draft plans are available from Parkridge Holdings UK

Located 7 miles north of Oxford next to Junction 9 of the M40 motorway.
The site covers 828 hectares, 2,046 acres. 84% of this is working farmland. The other 16% is an entirely grass airfield. 250ha is within the Oxford greenbelt.
15,000 dwellings (10,000 initially)
35,000 people
12,000 jobs
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

The exemplary eco-town feature will be the transport system.
There will be limited private car access to the body of the development.
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 Oxford-Bedford line will be reopened as far as Milton Keynes.
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.
There will be a large commercial area for offices and industry.

Energy and Enviroment

There will be a 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 urban core of 220 ha.
The distribution of dwelling types will be significantly skewed towards affordable housing.

 

draft plan of proposed eco-town Copyright (C) Parkridge Holdings UK