Welcome to Oxpens Meadow in Oxford City Centre!
What and Where is it?
Oxpens Meadow is a public open space in the centre of Oxford. It is owned by the City Council and is situated beside and behind the Ice Rink on Oxpens Road
The Meadow, which measures about 2 hectares or 5 acres, is bounded at its southern end by the river Thames; by the Castle Mill Stream on the east; and by land owned by British Rail (Residuary) Board Ltd on the west.
The Meadow can be reached on foot or by bicycle from three directions: from Oxpens Road; over the Green Bridge from the Castle Mill Stream; and by a path leading from Gibbs Crescent and Mill Street.
Threat to the future of the Meadow
For decades the continued existence of the Meadow as an area of informal recreation has been threatened. If the City's current plans are realised, only about one-half of the Meadow would remain for public enjoyment.
Response
It is because of these continued threats to the future of the Meadow that SENDRA (St Ebbes New Development Residents’ Association) applied in September 2008 to Oxfordshire County Council to register the Meadow as a Town Green under the Commons Act 2006.
Town Green status would ensure the retention of Oxpens Meadow in perpetuity as a public open space for the enjoyment of the people of Oxford and visitors to the City
To spearhead the campaign for Town Green status SENDRA established the Friends of Oxpens Meadow (FOM) in March 2009.
Latest News
City Executive Board Resolution Passed
The Report presented to the City Executive Board (CEB) was accepted unanimously on February 8th 2012.
The effect is that we have a firm and formal assurance from the City Council that they will voluntarily apply for Town Green status for the Meadow once they have finalised the issue of using the Meadow for flood remediation to enable a housing development on the other side of the Ice Rink.
It is important to understand that the Council already had agreed to conferring Town Green status on the Meadow in a resolution of the Full Council two years ago in January 2010. The issue is timing, as the City Council wants to try and develop the car park on the other side of the Ice Rink to the Meadow together with residual British Rail land next to it as housing. That development may need some compensatory flooding capacity to be increased on adjacent land to allow it to go ahead. This would entail some "shallow re-grading" of the Meadow to increase its flooding capacity.
SENDRA has agreed to wait until this issue is finalised with the firm and formal assurance that Town Green status would follow promptly.
SENDRA expects that any flood remediation use of the Meadow will not affect the Meadow's future use or value as an open public green space for recreation and leisure. The City Council is committed to preserving the Meadow and this would include the impact of flood remediation.
SENDRA also expects that if flood remediation turns out to be unnecessary or not feasible to enable this housing project, or would be too destructive of the Meadow, the issue of flood remediation would be considered "finalised" with Town Green status following promptly.
Oxpens Meadow Gifts on Sale!
Limited edition prints, mugs, T-shirts and notelet cards all showing the joys and charm of Oxpens Meadow.
Application for Town Green Status Temporarily Frozen
The Town Green Application has been temporarily frozen to allow for discussions between SENDRA and the City Council.