Author Archives: savebertiegmailcom

Witness this important decision!

On 15th November, Oxford City Council will decide whether to appropriate Bertie Park Recreation Ground for building. OCC have to appropriate Bertie Park before they can build on it. Appropriation is a legal procedure described in section 122 of the 1972 Local Government Act. This says councils can only appropriate land which is no longerContinue reading “Witness this important decision!”

Will Bertie Park be dropped from the 2040 local plan?

Whenever there is a new plan, it is sent to the Secretary of State for approval. They check to see if it is deliverable and if it complies with government guidance. Previous plans for Bertie Park were always approved because they said “planning permission will only be given if the recreation ground, including the MUGAContinue reading “Will Bertie Park be dropped from the 2040 local plan?”

Bertie Park News

There’s lots happening. The environment agency objected to OCC’s plans for the bank of the stream. We submitted a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman. And the council announced that it wanted to appropriate Bertie Park so that it could “regenerate it”. So we went to talk to the council again: What we found out:Continue reading “Bertie Park News”

Send Objections before 6th October

An advertisement (here) appeared in the Oxford Times on 21st September 2023 saying that Oxford City Council would like to appropriate Bertie Park for housing “in order to deliver the regeneration of Bertie Place Recreation Ground.” … with apologies to those who are not Dr Who fans. There are lots of reasons (click here) whyContinue reading “Send Objections before 6th October”

OCC hits problems with the Bertie Park Development

The Development uses the bank of the stream: On the local plan the Bertie Park development is 0.66 hectares. OX Place now say it is 0.77. We think this is because they moved the site boundary to include part of the bank of the stream. This is where the artist’s impression shows kids running roundContinue reading “OCC hits problems with the Bertie Park Development”

Do you object to the Bertie Park Development?

OCC have to appropriate the land at Bertie Park if they want to build on it. They can only do this if Bertie Park is not needed. OCC are now consulting their lawyers. They advertised their intention to appropriate Bertie Park, two weeks in a row in the Oxford Times, and asked for objections. OCCContinue reading “Do you object to the Bertie Park Development?”

How can anyone make an informed decision if OCC are not willing to be honest?

When we talked to OCC cabinet on 9th August, OCC struggled to reply: The play area will be “relatively similar”. This is dishonest. All the current and the new play area have in common is a basket swing. Ours is the best in Oxford. The proposed basket swing is just sad. “We could have upContinue reading “How can anyone make an informed decision if OCC are not willing to be honest?”

Next Steps for Bertie Park

It doesn’t make sense to reduce our recreation ground to 1/5th the size while bringing more people into the area. We still don’t know why Bertie Park is the only recreation ground in Oxford being treated in this way. At the cabinet meeting on Wednesday 9th August, OCC wanted to do 3 things: 1. ApproveContinue reading “Next Steps for Bertie Park”

Will OCC be able to build on Bertie Park?

Bertie Park was in the Oxford Mail last week: Oxford protesters object to Council’s plan for homes on play park On Wednesday 9th August, Oxford City Council Cabinet will be asked to agree to appropriate the land on Bertie Park under section 122 of the 1972 Local Government Act (here). They need to do thisContinue reading “Will OCC be able to build on Bertie Park?”