Didcot residents criticise lack of garden town progress

Didcot was awarded Garden Town status, which unlocks extra government funding, in December 2015.

The measures are to accommodate over 15,000 new homes and 20,000 new jobs in the area.

At the most recent South Oxfordshire District Council cabinet meeting and Vale of White Horse District Council cabinet meeting more than £500,000 was announced to improve green spaces, encourage greater biodiversity, and improve signage to encourage people to walk or cycle.

However, residents on social media said it was 'a waste of money'.

One said: “Did they ask the people of Didcot what they actually wanted before approving £500k for these schemes? Bit odd to allocate such a large sum of money to spurious schemes without any sign of a public consultation.”

Another agreed: "New medical facilities are needed as a priority, not green areas. If you're sick and can't get appointments how will going to a green area cure you?

"As usual no consultation with the residents of Didcot. Just go ahead with esoteric whims instead of sorting out the lack of desperately needed doctor and NHS dental surgeries.

A third added that the green spaces "will be destroyed in a few years by someone wanting to build on it".

Councillor Sue Caul, Vale of White Horse District Council cabinet member for affordable housing, infrastructure, development and governance, said: "This is a significant sum of money and will ensure we are able to continue to develop Didcot Garden Town and have a real positive impact on our residents."

Councillor Robin Bennett, South Oxfordshire District Council cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, added: "These strategies and funding provide vital first steps towards increasing local biodiversity and reducing our climate impact and will help bring the garden to Didcot Garden Town."

But Didcot councillor Mocky Khan agreed with residents there had been few notable achievements and said meetings had become like 'Groundhog Day'.

He said: "Whilst it is very welcome news that South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts Councils have approved £500,000 to improve green spaces, I agree with residents who say that Didcot Garden Town has so far delivered very little of note for Didcot.

"I hope that it can still deliver what was originally promised which was jobs, improved transport links, community facilities and desperately needed infrastructure.

"When I had a seat on the Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board, I was frustrated and annoyed that whenever we had a meeting and an update was given, very little progress had been made.

"Every meeting was like Groundhog Day.

"I want more urgency and an acceleration in delivering amenities, facilities and infrastructure for Didcot.

"I will keep the pressure on the council to deliver and I urge residents to do the same."

Councillors have criticised the garden town delivery plan over a ‘lack of action’ since it started in 2017.

In 2022 the Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council  trimmed the original 62 projects.

Feasibility studies on rail improvements, renewable energy and water saving measures were dropped as well as a study for a new household waste recycling site and engagement with the private sector over the possibility of creating a district heat network – a system of insulated pipes that transfers heat from a central source to a number of domestic and non-domestic buildings.

At that meeting Councillor Anna Badcock said: “I'm just struggling to see what has physically and tangibly been delivered to the residents of Didcot and whether they would really see anything that that they would say yes, that money has been spent well so far.”

The latest newsletter from the Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board, which met in April, says recent actions included giving away 140 crab apple, hazel and silver birch trees to residents with a plan to offer more next year.

It said the councils have also been working with Taylor Wimpey to complete and take ownership of the remaining 40 open spaces on Great Western Park, including priority sites such as the play parks and allotments.  

They are also continue to work on transferring the site earmarked for a GP surgery on the development.

The draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Project, which identifies the cycling and walking areas that require improvement in Didcot and surrounding villages, is being finalised, it said.

If approved by Oxfordshire County Council it "will be ready to implement as funding becomes available". 

South Oxfordshire District Council was contacted.