Environment flood maps

The Environment agency have recently published new maps showing flood areas in Oxford. The bad news is that the areas at risk of flooding have increased dramatically. Making it even more important that the open spaces, which act as natural flood overspill are retained.

Oxpens meadow is one of those natural flood areas, which is one reason why we are campaigning to have this green space retained for future generations.

A reminder of what happens when the area floods can be seen in this photo taken in the winter of 2007 - taken from the meadow.

Open spaces society

The open spaces society are one of Britain's oldest preservation societies. They support town greens because as they explain,

Town and village greens are the essence of rural England and Wales. Story-book images of village greens tend to be of an expanse of grass in the centre of a village complete with oak tree and seat, or a carefully-manicured recreation ground just outside the village, where cricket is played in the lengthening shadows of a summer evening, and the villagers dance round the maypole. In fact they are much more than that, and very varied.

A green is any land on which a significant number of inhabitants of any area has indulged in lawful sports and pastimes, for 20 years, as of right.

The open spaces society believe there to be about 3650 registered greens in England and about 220 in Wales, covering about 8150 and 620 acres respectively.

The open spaces society webpage is at

http://www.oss.org.uk/village-greens/

World class places

The government has recently published its guide to successful cities (World class Places). http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/worldclassplaces

With endorsements from CABE, English Heritage, The homes and Communities Agency, and Natural England, the publication identifies four criteria for a successful city:

–The range and mix of homes, services and amenities;
–Design and upkeep of buildings and spaces;
–Provision of green space and green infrastructure;
–Treatment of historic buildings and places.

The report highlights that parks and green open spaces are both a highly valued and highly used feature of the built environment. Three out of four people visit a public green space at least once a month – more than a quarter do so at least three times a week.

Safe and attractive parks, with good play and sports facilities and quiet areas, are particularly important to families with children, older people and those without gardens. Time spent in contact with nature has been shown to help mental well-being, with people reporting feeling much happier after a walk in a park, than they do after a shopping trip.

Parks also help foster community life and local involvement – through friends groups, community activities and volunteering.

This guidance, at the heart of national best practice of successful cities certainly rings true, and Oxpens Town green has the potential to be part of that solution, which is why local residents have been campaigning for it to be protected as a green space. The photo - of the 2008 London to Oxford bike ride shows how the green space is well used throughout the year - but events such as this would have to go elsewhere if the site is developed - as the city council proposes.

Sorry no Space

The Oxford Times published a letter from St Ebbes resident Colin Bridger

Sir – I note from your paper that the Oxford Pride festival and parade on June 6 will terminate on Oxpens Field “where there will be entertainment, stalls and music”.

I also note in the same paper that Oxford City Council, the owner of this field, has objected to it becoming a registered town green, as suggested by St Ebbe’s residents, because it wants to see most of it developed.

Do the hundreds, probably thousands, of Oxford Pride supporters realise, I wonder, that if the city council has its way, there will soon be no space left on this field for such joyful events.

No entertainment, no football, no cycle rallies, no circuses, no balloon launches . . . Sorry, no space.

Colin Bridger, Oxford

City Council objects to town green

(From Oxford Times)

OXFORD City Council has lodged an objection to a residents’ group campaign to get a city centre meadow registered as a Town Green.

Sendra, the St Ebbe’s New Development Residents’ Association, wants Oxpens Meadow next to the Ice Rink to be recognised as a public space to protect it from development.

About 50 per cent of the five-and-a-half-acre meadow, which campaigners say has been used by the community for almost a century, was earmarked in city council plans for part of the so-called West End redevelopment. The land has been identified as a site for a 150-bedroom hotel, housing, or civic offices.

In its application last November, Sendra had to provide evidence and witness statements proving the area had been used by the community for more than 25 years.

A public consultation was then launched when objections to the application could be lodged with Oxfordshire County Council, the body which grants Town Green status.

County Hall confirmed only one objection to the application had been received – from the city council.

Colin Bridger, of Sendra, said the council had objected over the legal terminology used in the group’s application.

He added: “We are now seeking legal advice and are preparing a strategy to fight this objection. We will continue to fight on.”

A city council spokesman confirmed it had lodged an objection, but was unable to give details of the grounds on which its argument was made

Green councillors support town green

The Oxford Times carried a letter from Green Party County Councillors as below:

Sir – It is not the whole city council (as reported in your article City Council objects to town green application, April 23) who oppose Sendra’s proposal to gain town green status for Oxpens Meadow.

It is the Labour group, now running the council as a minority administration. Labour councillors have always backed proposals for development here.

Green councillors fully support Sendra’s town green proposal and were not consulted when the council made its decision to oppose Sendra’s plans.

Historically we have worked with local residents to keep this vital open space development-free.

Deborah Glass Woodin and Sushila Dhall, Oxford Green Party

County Council consult on town green

The Oxpens town green has passed its first hurdle. The Registration authority, the county council, has accepted that there is a case for the green space to be considered a town green - having sought independent legal advice from Vivian Chapman QC . This means the county council are starting a consultation exercise on the issue.

The city council (the land owner) has objected, claiming the the recreational use of Oxpens Recreation Ground has been “by right” rather than “as of right”. The city's existing plans involve enhancing the park, which sounds fine - but in practice means building on around half of it.

The remaining space would be insufficient for the numerous events the city council currently permits on the site, ranging from the London to Oxford cycle race to the Russian state circus.

Green spaces make us fit and healthy (official)

December/January's "Ecologist" magazine reports on work by a series of researchers at the University Glasgow that found that in areas with the greenest environments the health gap between rich and poor was half as much as in the least green areas.

The study by lead author Dr Richard Mitchell said access to green spaces encouraged people to take part in activities that reduced stress and blood pressure. He added "we encourage the Government to consider carefully what its policy on green space is, and to bear in mind when planning urban areas for the future."

Green spaces may also have a significant effect on mental health. Researchers writing in the journal of Attention Disorders found that children with ADHD were better able to concentrate after a 20 minute walk in a natural setting. The team found these benefits were as or more significant than a significant dose of medication.

Mark Luntley - Chair of Sendra added. The message for Oxpens town green is clear, this open space is an important resource, it supports the health of the city and should be protected by town green status.

Birdlife in Oxpens

Several local residents are keen nature observers. Professor Nancy Brown has been systematically recording birds since she came to the area in 1986. Over that time she has recorded 51 different kinds of bird from her house. She explains that the field is a flight path for birds moving between North and South Hinksey, Grandpont and Port Meadow. 

In January flocks of siskins (from Scandinavia) mixed with goldfinch come to eat the seeds of alders on the stream bank - whilst mallards, coots and moorhens nest in the reed beds. 

Andrew Smith MP pledges full support

On 25th November Sendra's local MP, the Rt Hon Andrew Smith MP to Colin Bridger offering his full support for our town green application. He added he has taken up the matter with Oxfordshire County Council. 

Autumn rains

The last few days have had plenty of rain, and ground water levels have risen. The waters from Castle Mill Stream are running considerably higher than even a few days ago.

Its this time of year when local residents can be really pleased that the green is open space. The water can overspill onto the field, reducing the flow downstream in the river.  That's good news for a lot of residents in Oxford and beyond. 

Oxfordshire respond to application

Oxfordshire County Council have written to SENDRA confirming receipt of our application for a town green. In their letter of 3rd November the County Council confirmed they had received our application on the 29th September and the matter has now been referred to the council's legal department.

The letter explains the County Council will be referring the application to a barrister to check if it has been "duly made". This process should take some weeks.

If the application passes this hurdle then the County Council will publicise the application for a further six weeks, asking if anyone objects to the application. The County Council will also write to the landowner - who in this case are the city council. 

So progress, albeit a bit slower than we hoped, and its not quite clear what has happened over the last few weeks, but we have a timetable for the next steps.

Allotments at Oxpens

Looking at Oxpens meadow you'd not see any evidence of any crops being grown, but in the early 20th century the area included at least three allotments.  At that time Oxpens meadow covered a larger area than at present, and two of the allotment gardens are where Oxford and Cherwell college are now located.  

The third allotment was to the west of the current meadow, south of the bus park and running up to the railway track. This last site was still shown as allotment gardens in 1957 but is now fenced off and overgrown.

Oxpens bathing place

The ordinance map of 1900 shows 16 acres of Oxpens as a series of open fields. The only developed feature at that time was the St Ebbe's bathing place, which dates from around 1878. It was used seasonally and was restricted to children.  

The area south of the bathing place was known as Ballow Ham and was leased by the city council as long ago as 1900 which, in an echo of current city council policies, contained a children's playground.

The bathing place closed at the end of the 1937 season and, in 1951, the site was filled in. 

Its very hard to see where the old bathing place was located, but you can find the old walls and some of the concrete marking the walls, almost covered by grass. This photo shows all that remains.  

Wildlife on Oxpens green

One of the pleasures of spending time at Oxpens meadow is seeing the variety of wildlife in the city centre. Sunday 26th November was a clear evening and in the last light of the day a flock of geese waddled out of the Thames and across the green. Several of the birds ate the grass, which was still growing in the late autumn.