Cherwell Local Plan 2042 - KDW’s response

We think that Cherwell’s 2042 Plan provides an opportunity for Kidlington. At the first stage of consultation (in 2020), the Parish Council proposed a “Green Ring”: a network of linked green spaces surrounding the village in order to help preserve Kidlington’s distinct identity and countryside setting.

Kidlington Development Watch (KDW) supported this and, in subsequent consultations in 2021 and 2023, put forward several ideas for how this green network might be achieved in practice. This included proposals for three new Local Green Spaces (a formal planning designation) which are shown on the map below

 Other elements that could be part of the Green Ring are also shown on the map and include:

• several new green areas to be created as a condition of the new development in the 2031 Partial Review plan. These are shaded in bright green on the map and include areas to the west of the canal (as part of site PR8), a new nature conservation area as part of site PR7b (Stratfield Farm), and a sports area south of site PR7a.
•  areas of land around the village which are already protected nature conservation sites including Rushy Meadows, Langford Meadows, the Woodland trust reserve at Stratfield Brake and St Mary’s Fields.
•  other areas which must remain ‘green’ because they are in flood zones, such as the land north and east of Water Eaton Lane
• the existing rights of way and other public paths around Kidlington which, together with short stretches of road, form an almost continuous circuit around the village connecting the various green areas. There is scope for improving the condition of these routes, including a proposal for an improved route following the canal.

Our response is still being finalised but will be based on our submissions to previous consultations which you can read by clicking on the links below:

• Green Ring Analysis by KDW
  
  
• Proposed Bury Moor Fields (Land Behind the Moors) Local Green Space. 

  This area once included called Bury Moor and Bury Field, while an old name for ‘The Moors’ was ‘Bury Moor Road. So we have called our proposed LGS ‘Bury Moor Fields’.

• Proposed Church Fields Character Area Local Green Space
  

  These are the fields – mainly paddocks - west of the St.Mary’s-Mill End Public Footpath.(Not the St Mary’s Fields Nature Reserve). They are important to the setting of the Grade I listed St Mary’s Church.

• Proposed Stratfield Brake Local Green Space(Nature Reserve & Playing Fields)
  

  The final draft plan takes up our earlier proposal to designate the Nature Reserve, but not the Playing Fields. We would like to see both designated as LGS either as a whole or separately for each element.

 Read more about how the NPPF defines Local Green Spaces (LGS)