The officers report to cabinet in 2024 said: “Officers do not contend that the land is surplus to requirements, but that it is no longer required for its present purpose given the proposal to provide alternative facilities as part of the project … that the relative benefit to the community of the provision of the housing planned outweighs the changes in the size and nature of the facilities that will be available” (Officers Report to Cabinet 2024).
The Equalities Impact Assessment (2024) refers to “3,401 applicants on the Housing Registers.” It goes on to illustrate the relative benefit of social housing to our community by extracting data from the Local Insight Ward Profile for Hinksey Park showing e.g. % households living in socially rented homes to conclude that “there is therefore significant need for affordable housing in (this) area.” But this sort of data would usually be interpreted as illustrating the need for a proper recreation ground. There is a stark contrast between this and the Oxford North development, which will have 430 new homes and 3 new public parks because “Scientists are people like everybody else, it’s really important that we have green outdoor spaces, space that feels like home” (Promotional video for Oxford North).
Save Bertie Park Oxford 