What’s wrong with Weston Otmoor?

In this slide presentation, we set out the main reasons why we think the proposed new town at Weston Otmoor is a bad idea.

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Weston Otmoor new town

Why not export even more of Oxford’s workers to a privately-run gated community 10 miles from their place of work?

- Because we wouldn’t want to impose that on anyone.

Where is it? What’s being proposed?

15,000 homes35,000 population

‘Eco’ town on M40/A34 junction

Larger than Bicester & twice the size of Kidlington

Not part of the SE region Plan

What Weston Otmoor ‘promises’

• 15,000 new jobs• A solution to the local housing problem• Delivery of the East-West railway to Milton

Keynes and an improved M40/A34 junction• Neutral traffic impact• A sustainable new ‘eco’ town lifestyle• A well-managed community• Retention of green belt and 2 SSSIs

So what are the problems?

15,000 new jobs – OK?• Bicester, 2001 population = 29,000 with 17,000 jobs.• Weston Otmoor population = 35,000 needing 19,610 jobs

(allows for self-employed element)

• Parkridge accept 5,000 jobs will go to in-commuters = 9,610 displaced out-commuters

• Town & Country Planning Association say ‘self-containment’ under 50% so we think more like 12,000 out-commuters

• Parkridge is part-owned by Pro-logis, primarily a distribution company. What sort jobs would locate to M40/A34 interchange: high tech skills jobs, or low density distribution?

Any new housing’s good news, isn’t it?• The housing lists in Oxford & Cherwell total over 7,500• The regional target is 40% affordable homes• The developer is only offering 30% (4,500) ‘affordable’ homes• Of this 30% only 1 in 20 would be socially rented, i.e. 225 in total• Others would be ‘intermediate’ affordable schemes• In Kidlington 45% of new households can’t afford intermediate

schemes for even the very lowest priced houses, 38% in Bicester.• Of the intermediate affordable schemes, only 427 are the very

lowest price (1 bed studio flats)• Cherwell’s Local Development Framework evidence base

recommends that of all ‘affordable’ housing 80% (not 5%) needs to be socially rented

Those most in need on the waiting lists will not benefit

Harmful housing impact elsewhere?

Poor retail choice and environment means Kidlington’s centre underperforms

‘…eco-towns are one of a range of options local planning authorities should consider when determining how to meet their current or emerging planning requirements’ (DCLG Eco-towns Progress Report July 2008)

• If Weston Otmoor goes ahead, it will be offset against planned development in Bicester (current out-commuting 58%), Kidlington (poor retail centre in need of developer contributions) and arguably at Grenoble Road, Oxford

• 1,300 new homes are wanted by Kidlington Parish Council, and Cherwell District Council is consulting on major schemes for Bicester, Banbury and Heyford. Oxford City plans are for 4,000 at Grenoble Rd, 800 at Barton

• We need a good mix of affordable homes in good locations that do not add to the current levels of congestion.

But the transport improvements make it worthwhile, don’t they?

• Chiltern Railways already plan fast Oxford-London trains via Bicester ‘chord’ line

• Other developers have agreed to fund Bicester-Milton Keynes line

• The M40/A34 junction is scheduled for an upgrade in 2014, anyway

• 6 minute service to Oxford conflicts with East-West Rail plans for an express service and an interchange at Water Eaton

Total rail + tram/train capacity to Oxford (Parkridge figures) 3,640/hour*

Assume trains from Bicester are 25% full, adjusted capacity Capacity allowing for 80 min not 1hr train-tram return journey times

3,190/hour*2,730/hour*

Total of southbound commuters @ 60% of all out-commuters (Parkridge/based on Town & Country Planning Association assumptions)

5,760/7,200

Add southbound non-commuter journeys from Weston Otmoor @ 10% 6,281/7,920

Assume 90% journeys are in peak 1.5 hours. Hourly capacity needed. (Deduct 80 bus passengers + 1,000 car passengers southbound/hour)

3,769/4,752(2,689/3,672)

* Some of this capacity would be used by Weston residents travelling to Weston Otmoor station then north

So what do all those figures mean?

• Weston Otmoor isn’t needed in order to deliver East-West rail or Chiltern line services from Oxford to London

• A 6-minute train frequency to Oxford won’t meet the demand even with 1,000 cars an hour travelling south on the A34.

• Parkridge say 47% of southbound journeys are to East/SE Oxford. Rail passengers would need to transfer to buses at a Peartree station = 1,264 or 1,726* passengers/hour getting onto 8 buses using Parkridge’s offer!

* TCPA estimates used to generate revised estimated out-commuter passenger numbers

...and the effects on the A34?• A34 is a trunk road, 17% is HGVs

and 15% goes to Southampton*• A34 capacity is 4,000 vehicles/hour• Current use (out of term) is

3,000/hour at Gosford but reduced capacity at Peartree & Botley causes regular tailbacks now

• National traffic growth is 4%/year• Developments at Heyford, Bicester

and Banbury will increase use• A34 congestion will seize up rest of

Oxford ring road• Congestion increases costs to

business and reduces attractiveness of Oxford location

* Source: OCC survey 1999 A34 at Gosford, 8.30am July 2008

A new ‘eco’ lifestyle in a well-managed community?

• Parkridge offer: housing built to level 4 of code of sustainable development (44% above existing building regs). By 2016 all new developments must be carbon neutral (level 6).There’s nothing special about ‘eco’ town status!

• Parkridge assume that 60% households have more than 1 car, and 10% will have 3. They promised cars would be ‘out of sight, out of mind’ but most cars will be parked on front drives! Not very ‘eco’!

• The 6,000 space car park (bigger than all of Oxford’s 5 Park & Rides combined) will be built on green belt land near an SSSI. It’ll mainly be used by inbound commuters. Most in-commuters will come by car.

• A new ‘Management Trust’ will be created to include businesses, residents and other stakeholders. The trust will be bound by covenants, and will also run services such as schools.

No effective local council then!

A new ghetto?• Details of when Parkridge will hand over to the Management Trust

aren’t clear – in the meantime, Parkridge will keep all charges.• Residents will pay to get out through the one access road (average

charge £2 last time Parkridge released the income figures, peak exit charges will be far higher).

• Residents with complex travel needs (e.g. kids, family obligations, etc.) will be forced to pay the charge.

• Trams and trains to Oxford will be ‘free’ but residents will face ‘service charges’ and 1.5 hour journeys to SE Oxford.

• On-site retail will be restricted to small shops – duplicating, not adding to existing centre services, and forcing added travel.

• With the public transport offer, those on housing waiting lists won’t be able to turn down an offer at Weston Otmoor, but will find the charges expensive, and house swaps very difficult.

It’s a rat trap...and you’ve been caught

Say goodbye to...

The proposals build over this lake, and will alter the water table – damaging the two SSSIs.

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