From 2020 to 2024 Sandford Sewage works leaked sewage into the river for a total of 9 months. The Bertie Park development would produce more sewage. And so, the Environment Agency objected. They only removed their objection when Oxford City Council said they would include a “planning condition” that the homes would not be occupied until Sandford could cope. Sandford is now being upgraded. Phase 1 should be complete by the end of 2027.
But when Bertie Park went to planning committee in June the planning condition was nowhere to be seen. When members of the planning committee asked about sewage, OCC said that Thames Water hadn’t objected; they assumed “by the lack of objection” that sewage was not an issue as it was such a small development.
The new 2045 local plan also says surface water drainage must be separated from sewage. This is to stop sewage treatment plants being overwhelmed when it rains. But OCC aren’t going to do that for Bertie Park. It’s not a priority.
