Oxford City Council want to spend over £10m of public money to build an unnecessary new bridge just two minutes' walk from the existing Gasworks bridge, which would destroy the peaceful, biodiverse haven in Grandpont Nature Park.  

The only reason for the Oxpens River Bridge in the Local Plan is to link up two new private commercial developments of Oxford University, neither of which yet have planning permission. Nowhere in the plan does it say the bridge should land in the Nature Park.

There has been no Environmental Impact Assessment, nor consideration of unresolved flooding issues in the area, and no lifelong carbon assessment of the construction.  

Refurbishing the existing Gasworks bridge as an alternative, would be viable and achievable at around 1/15th the cost of the new bridge according to a County Council report. Yet this report was never presented to the Planning Committees!

 Why it’s important? 

There have been numerous flaws in the process of bringing this both to Planning Committee and Planning Review. The City Council should be held to account and not allowed to ride roughshod over the law and democratic process.  

 What’s at stake? 

• The project will destroy most of a richly biodiverse woodland which forms the only wooded section of the main path through Grandpont Nature Park. 
• It will convert the current footpath into a 4.5 -metre-wide "shared use" cycle super-highway, changing forever the present rural character of the Nature Park.
• Precious public land and public funds are being used to facilitate private commercial developments.
• The project is an abuse of Housing and Growth Deal funding, public money intended to facilitate affordable housing. This bridge will in fact enable new employment sites which would worsen the housing crisis. 

 How much we want to raise and why?  

• We have a strong case, with several grounds on which to take this to Judicial Review (JR).
• We are initially seeking to raise £10,000 by the end of September to cover legal costs incurred up to and in the preparation of our JR claim.
• If JR is granted, we will be raising a further £35,000 to finance this, including £10,000 court costs. 
• should we win, any unused funds will be processed as per Crowdjustice's unused funds policy. 
• The law firm we are using has an excellent track record on these issues and concerns, and last year won a similar case against Tewkesbury Borough Council.
• Help us hold the Council to account, save the Nature Park and stop this undemocratic, unnecessary and unwise plan.  

 What can you do? 

Donate to our campaign to support and oppose this unnecessary and undemocratic project, to help us raise the funds we need to stop it. Be part of our David v Goliath story! 

Thank you so much for your contribution.