Oxford flood alleviation scheme gets the go ahead

The much-anticipated Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is one step closer to becoming a reality today after Oxfordshire County Council resolved to grant planning permission. This decision, subject to certain standard requirements, marks a significant milestone on the way to reducing flood risk from the River Thames and protecting the city’s homes, businesses, roads and railways.

Led by the Environment Agency in partnership with 9 other organisations, the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is one of the biggest flood schemes currently planned in England.

The scheme will work with the natural floodplain to the west of Oxford. A new stream will be created, fed by the River Thames and meandering through its own gently sloping floodplain, consisting of grazing meadow with wildflowers and wetland. People will be able to walk and cycle alongside the new stream, enjoying the views and wildlife.

When the Thames is high, water flowing from the river into the stream will naturally start to fill the lowered floodplain, instead of overspilling from the River Thames into built-up areas of the city.

Oxfordshire County Council considered the planning application following their public consultation on it last year. At the Planning and Regulation Committee meeting today, councillors resolved to grant planning permission after hearing from the Environment Agency and their partners.

Approval is subject to the application first being referred to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, due to the scheme’s location in the green belt. She will decide if she wishes to make a determination. This is a normal requirement in these circumstances. The Environment Agency will also need to sign a legal agreement with the council relating to the management and monitoring of the new habitats that the scheme will create.

"This an important milestone in the scheme which brings us another stage closer to ensuring peace of mind for our city as we face wetter winters.

Oxford has a long history of flooding, and many people have experienced the disruption it causes to homes, businesses, main roads, railway lines and vital services. Flooding also affects the mental health of communities who see their lives, homes and businesses devastated by floods."

Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, Oxford City Council

"Gaining the committee’s approval marks significant progress in our ambition to better protect Oxford residents and businesses from the sort of flooding that we have seen in recent years and can expect in the future.

We are delighted with the outcome of today’s meeting. We have consulted widely to design what we believe to be the best scheme for Oxford, which will bring both greater protection from flooding and other amenity and environmental benefits to the community."

Robbie Williams, Project Director of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme

"I welcome the committee’s support for the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme. The scheme will provide Oxford with vital protection from flooding and help the city to become more resilient to the effects of climate change.

The Council will work closely with the Environment Agency to secure the swift delivery of the scheme and ensure local communities can benefit from reduced flood risk as soon as possible."

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment & Future Generations, and Chair of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme Sponsoring Group

"We are pleased that the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme has reached this next stage in securing planning permission; this is an important step forward for the project and welcome news for the Vale communities of South Hinksey, Kennington and North Hinksey, who are at regular risk of flooding.

As we face increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather, the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is more urgently needed than ever."

Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council

"On behalf of the University of Oxford, I am delighted that the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme has received the backing of the planning committee. The University is a strong supporter of the scheme, and we believe addressing flood risk for the long term will help ensure a prosperous, sustainable future for the city."

Dr David Prout, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources), University of Oxford

The Oxford Flood Alliance (OFA), made up of local residents affected by flooding, has worked closely with the Environment Agency on the development of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme.

"We’re proud to have helped get the scheme to this point; it has been a huge effort across multiple partners bringing their expertise to the table.

We believe the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is the best option for Oxford, its communities, its economy and biodiversity. Risk of severe flooding is increasing all the time and we need to ensure we are in a position to manage this."

Simon Collings, from the OFA

Notes to editors:

• Oxfordshire County Council’s Planning and Regulation Committee has made a resolution to grant planning permission to the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme. This does not constitute a planning permission in itself but indicates that the council are minded to approve the planning application in this case, subject to referring the application to the Secretary of State, and a Section 106 Agreement being finalised and signed.
• The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2021 requires planning applications to be referred to the Secretary of State where they meet certain criteria. In this case, the scheme is considered by the council’s planning officers to meet these criteria due to its location in the green belt.
• The referral to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government will allow them to decide whether they wish to call in the application for their own determination.
• A Section 106 Agreement is a private agreement between a local authority and a developer attached to planning permission. It must be directly relevant to the proposed development and can relate to compensation or mitigation of impacts. In this case, it relates to the management and monitoring required for the habitats being provided.
• Once the Section 106 Agreement is signed the decision notice can be issued and planning permission is granted.
• The project team considered more than 100 combinations of options to reduce flood risk from the River Thames in Oxford, working with the community every step of the way.
• The Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme will be effective against the scale of the largest Oxford flood in living memory - 1947.
• The new stream will be approximately 5km long, running from just north of Botley Road down to south of the A423 near Kennington, where it rejoins the River Thames. Most of this area is farmland and flood meadow.
• The scheme will see improved footpaths, and a new permissive walking and cycling path alongside the stream between Osney Mead and the Devil’s Backbone in South Hinksey.
• The scheme will create over 20 hectares of new wetland habitat and around 16 hectares of floodplain meadow. It will be maintained largely through traditional land management techniques such as grazing.
• We formed a collaborative agreement with the environmental charity Earth Trust to help us plan for the long term environmental and wellbeing benefits of the scheme. Their advice will inform our environmental vision, plans for land management and legacy strategy.
• Hard engineering will be kept to a minimum, but there will be new structures where needed, such as bridges for footpaths to cross the new stream; culverts (tunnels) for floodwater to pass under main roads; and earth embankments and flood walls.
• The Environment Agency has submitted a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure the land needed for the scheme is available. A public inquiry, led by an independent inspector, was held into the CPO between November 2023 and January 2024. The inspector has submitted their recommendations to the Secretary of State, who will either confirm, modify or not confirm the CPO.
• The scheme partners are: Environment Agency, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Vale of White Horse District Council, Thames Water, Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Oxford Flood Alliance, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, University of Oxford, and Highways England.
• For more information (Oxford Flood Scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)