Issued by the Ferry Hinksey Trust

Press Release

For Immediate Release

12 July 2024

OXFORD RESIDENTS SEEK TO HALT PROPOSED FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME UNTIL COST-SAVING & ENVIRONMENT MEASURES ARE FULLY CONSIDERED

CONSERVATIONISTS and local residents will be present at Oxford County Council’s Planning Committee meeting on Monday (JULY15), in a bid to improve the controversial Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (OFAS) proposed by the Environment Agency which has been recommended for approval by officers that day by councillors, despite being in the Oxford Green Belt.

At the meeting starting at 10:00 am at County Hall, OFAS opponents will stress that there is a viable no-channel option that will avoid the destruction of 33 acres of protected and irreparable wildflower meadow and the loss of over 2000 trees and miles of hedgerow and will save taxpayers millions of pounds.

The EA propose removing roughly half a million tons of soil, sand and gravel. Opponents will tell councillors this will add 40,000 lorry movements to the A34 and create massive disturbance in South Hinksey village during the proposed works. This, after years of current roadworks around the edges of Oxford affecting Oxford’s economy after the pandemic, and news this weekend that the opening of the Botley Road will be further delayed, probably till 2025.

During the six-week Public Inquiry into the EA Compulsory Purchase Order of land which ended last January 27, with a decision awaited, a consortium of campaigners, including members of the Ferry Hinksey Trust (FHT), the Hinksey and Osney Environment Group (HOEG) and the Oxford Flood and Environmental Group (OFEG) presented a simpler, lower cost scheme. The campaigners' fully costed alternative delivers the same flood alleviation, but up to five years quicker, at a massively reduced cost to the taxpayer whilst also retaining the very rare MG4 meadows of the floodplain, including Hinksey Meadow (see picture below).

In the light of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer’s stern warning that with very little money in the public purse, all public spending should be reviewed, campaigners will say the Planning Committee should reject the £176-million EA scheme because there is a far-simpler lower cost option available that has better environmental outcomes. 

Residents will tell councillors that the OFAS budget was compiled years ago, when interest rates were 1%, and that since £70-million of the OFAS cost is in constructing the Channel, alternative, viable, and less expensive schemes have been proposed, minimising environmental damage in the Greenbelt. Yet the EA, by its own admission in the Inquiry, has failed to consider them thoroughly, despite being demonstrably cheaper.

Sarah Ainsworth, a local resident and former County Council official said that the EA and the Council had a legal duty to deliver a flood scheme with best value for the area. “The current scheme does not do that,” she said. “Some Oxfordshire Councils are close to bankruptcy, and all Councils should first review their contributions to the OFAS scheme to ensure best value.”  

Canon Chris Sugden, Chair of the Ferry Hinksey Trust said: "Our team will ask councillors that the National Policy Planning Framework’s hierarchy of criteria be followed to avoid harm to biodiversity, to follow the guidance on biodiversity net gain and, to consider alternatives that will avoid the unnecessary loss of the irreplaceable Hinksey Meadows. Top of the list, the alternatives will ensure railway safety since the EA’s own modelling of the scheme shows that flood water will risk washing out the railway tracks!

"We also want to bring to their attention the total devastation of the landscape by the current ‘Channel’ scheme, which will be like that already done to the land north of the A40, to the west of Oxford by the Hanson gravel works at Oxey Mead (see picture below). In winter, in flood conditions, the extensive sand and gravels across Hinksey Meadows - which currently act as flood storage - will be removed by the scheme and the extent of water accumulation will be even greater.

“We hope that the elected councillors will take our concerns very seriously, and at least defer their decision to collect the necessary evidence raised at the public inquiry. If the Committee resolve to approve the application as it stands, we shall seek legal advice on a potential Judicial Review.”

Brian Durham, a local resident added: “Throughout the development of the OFAS, the EA has simply ignored constructive, expert alternatives presented to them that both save public money and save the beautiful, natural environment surrounding Oxford.  We very much hope that a Liberal Democrat-led Council, which prides itself on protecting the environment, and should be keen to save public money at all times, will defer decision on this scheme and review all alternatives thoroughly, before a judgement is made.”  

  • The Oxford County Council Planning Committee will meet from 10.00 am in County Hall on Monday 15 July. It will be livestreamed. Link here: Link: video link https://oxon.cc/PRC15072024 The press is invited to attend and members of HOEG and OFEG will be happy to be interviewed.

ENDS

For further information/Interview:

Canon Chris Sugden                   07808297043              csugden@ocrpl.org;

(Chair – FHT)

Paul Eddy                                  07923653781              paul@pauleddy.uk;

(Public Relations Consultant to FHT)

 

Editor’s Notes:

Map for media reference:

https://hinkseyandosney.org/download-file/downloads/Lean-grean-compliant-sch-02__2_.pdf

Picture of Osney Meadow which will be destroyed by current EA plans

https://hinkseyandosney.org/download-file/downloads/Hinksey_Meadows.pdf

Picture by Chris Andrews

Picture of Hinksey Meadow which will be destroyed under current EA plans:

It could look like this: Oxey Mead Gravel Pits

https://hinkseyandosney.org/download-file/downloads/Hanson_Thames_Gravel_Works_Oxey_Mead_North_01.pdf

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