Uncategorized – Save Bertie Park Oxford

A life-line for Bertie Park

For 10 years, Tom Hayes was councillor for St Clement’s. He’s now MP for Bournemouth. In 2025 he set up the first all-party parliamentary group on play; fighting hard for recreation grounds like Bertie Park. The government has just published new guidance. Best let Tom explain: Bertie Park is a little different because it isContinue reading “A life-line for Bertie Park”

Bertie Park and the Aquifer

Bertie Park is an ex-landfill site. The Environment Agency says there is a “high risk” that building on the park could disturb the landfill. Contaminants could start to move into the underground water. The Environment Agency is worried because: the proposed development site is located upon a secondary aquifer which is shallow and has potentialContinue reading “Bertie Park and the Aquifer”

Residents can look out over the buffer zone where their garden was supposed to be …

The Oxford city council has a local plan policy that everyone should have a bit of private open space where they can just sit, or eat or dry their washing. Their Bertie Park policy says there has to be a buffer zone between the Redbridge Stream and any buildings. The Environment agency also insisted onContinue reading “Residents can look out over the buffer zone where their garden was supposed to be …”

Should Bertie Park be replaced with equal or better?

The government says you shouldn’t build on recreation grounds unless you don’t need them, or you replace them with equal or better. It’s also council policy. Oxford has a list of parks. Back in 2024 the Parks Department reviewed the bye-laws. They removed Bertie from the list because of plans to build on it. AtContinue reading “Should Bertie Park be replaced with equal or better?”

Bertie Park Fact Check

We’re going back to planning committee on September 9th. Posters have appeared with reasons to build on Bertie Park. So, here’s a quick fact check!

Planning permission not the end of the story for Bertie Park

Oxford city council planning committee has approved plans for building 100% social/affordable housing on Bertie Park. This depends on the award of a Homes England grant. If they don’t get the grant, they have to go back to planning committee. They will plant blackberry bushes to make sure that people can’t wander off the pathContinue reading “Planning permission not the end of the story for Bertie Park”

Bertie Park goes to Planning Committee 23rd June

Bertie Park is 90 years old. It was built at a time when it made more sense to invest in recreation grounds to keep people healthy, than hospitals to treat the sick. This means that most people in this area played on Bertie Park, their kids play on it, or their grandchildren do. That’s whyContinue reading “Bertie Park goes to Planning Committee 23rd June”

Oxford Mail coming to take new campaign photo this Tuesday!

Labour silence on Bertie Park

Oxford City Council accept that “the overwhelming local community view … is that Bertie Park is needed.” Labour’s leaflet says they are “investing in our parks and shared spaces.” They’ve got “new play equipment” for Hinksey Park, Fox Crescent and Friars Wharf. But they want to shrink Bertie Park down to 20% of its size.Continue reading “Labour silence on Bertie Park”

What the candidates think about Bertie Park

I asked Rick Tanner, Siobhan Lancaster and Hannah Scott. Hannah Scott: Green Party Bertie Park wasn’t mentioned on the Green Party leaflet, so I asked Hannah Scott what she thought. She apologised for leaving it out. Hannah is against building on Bertie Park. She thinks there’s an urgent need for affordable and social housing, butContinue reading “What the candidates think about Bertie Park”