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”
Tag Archives: 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 …”
How Oxford City Council Solved the Sewage Problem for Bertie Park
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 occupiedContinue reading “How Oxford City Council Solved the Sewage Problem for Bertie Park”
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!
Ex-Mayor doesn’t like playgrounds like Bertie Park
Ex-Mayor Cllr Upton is chair of the planning committee. She summed up before voting to build on Bertie: “I actually think, having grown up in the countryside, I love having wild space to go around that’s not actually a MUGA or a playground. I think having a nature trail around Site B could be actuallyContinue reading “Ex-Mayor doesn’t like playgrounds like Bertie Park”
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”
Save Bertie Park Oxford 