Rousham - one of Britain's best preserved 18th Century landscape gardens, Grade 1 listed and open to the public every day of the year - is under immediate and grave threat.  So too are surrounding villages.

There is a proposal for up to 9,000 new houses; industrial buildings; hotels; offices; schools; wind turbines and gigantic, 42m high, 12 storey tower blocks at Heyford Park.

These plans already involve building on greenfield land.  However, the number of houses could rise to at least 13,000 under the Government's New Towns programme - with no clear end in sight.  And the New Towns report advocates the use of compulsory purchase orders.

These changes risk destroying the rural views that are integral to Rousham's importance as a world class garden; they would endanger our local communities and conservation areas; upset flora, fauna and a delicate ecosystem and exacerbate flooding.  They would also cause a vast increase in traffic, bringing bottlenecks and hold-ups, threatening the medieval bridge that runs through Rousham and further degrading unsuitable roads.  The nearby small, rural train station at Heyford would become a major transport hub.  These excessive plans are contrary to the will of the local community democratically expressed through the Mid-Cherwell Neighbourhood Plan.

The English countryside is special - and if lost, it will be lost forever.  Development on this colossal scale would obliterate the rural character of this area.  It would mean environmental havoc; light pollution; noise and intolerable pressure on infrastructure and public services. 

How You Can Help:

• Please sign this petition and share widely - public support is essential
• Submit an objection to planning@cherwell-dc.gov.uk  - quoting application 25/02190/hybrid with your name and address
• Contact calum.miller.mp@parliament.uk, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, or your local MP and ask them to oppose a Heyford Park New Town

We Call on: 

• Cherwell District Council to refuse planning application 25/02190/hybrid
• The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to reject Heyford Park as a New Town