Crime & Safety
Bertie Park: Oxford development planning battle continues
Oxford City Council is proposing to build 31 affordable homes, with a multi-use games area and children’s play area on New Hinksey Playground in Bertie Place, known locally as Bertie Park.
The authority first made its intentions known in 2019, and the proposals have been subject to a high level of objection since a planning application was submitted in May 2023.
Campaign group Save Bertie Park has been fighting the plans, locals have submitted planning objections, and Thames Valley Police (TVP) has “repeatedly” weighed in with concerns.
Thames Valley Police has expressed fears over the potenital creation of “a hotspot for unauthorised parking” at the park.
The force said this “will be a constant battle for the local authority” if plans are approved.
This comes as New Hinksey was named as one of the areas in Oxford with the least access to green space.
A survey, by MG Timber and Online Marketing Surgery, has ranked the number of postcodes within 900m of a public park, garden or playing fields for different Oxford locations.
North Central Oxford, Churchill, Grandpont, Marston and Iffley Park all joined New Hinksey with the fewest postcodes with close access – each area had just over 100 postcodes near green spaces.
Oxford Central tops the list with 380 postcodes.
There is a city council planning committee meeting on May 26 but the park development is not due to be discussed, and sits as the second-longest-running application on a list of proposals “currently expected to be considered by the committee at future meetings”.
The proposal was made as part of the city council’s aim to build the homes that “local people need”.
The most recent document added to the planning portal for the proposal is a response from TVP, with a back-and-forth of criticism between the force and the planning applicant.
In March, Arcadis Consulting had prepared comments on behalf of Oxford City Council’s housing company, Ox Place, responding to objections to the plans in a report.
It said: “In their response dated December 8, 2025 the Thames Valley Police raised a number of objections to the proposed scheme. It is disappointing that these objections are being made at this stage given that the application has been with the council since May 2023.”
TVP replied that the force “has been liaising with the council and applicants since 2021, and we have repeatedly raised the same concerns”.
This included fears about a new games area, planned within the development.
Police had shared concerns about “a risk of noise having a negative impact on residents, neighbour disturbances and community tension”.
It added: “This space is a very challenging location for development, with no clear solution. ”
A consultee for Thames Valley Police said they understood the wish to retain a youth recreation facility, but that there was no appropriate location to do so if houses were to be built.
The city report responded, saying it had addressed this by proposing the space be “sunk down” from street level and with fencing.
The police consultee came back stating their concerns about “potential for crime and antisocial behaviour, particularly in the evenings and at night” were maintained.
They offered a “possible solution” to add higher fencing to close the facility outside of “legitimate hours of usage”.
Alice’s Day returns on Saturday, July 4, with a programme of family-friendly events, performances and interactive experiences inspired by Lewis Carroll’s beloved character.
The festival marks the anniversary of the first telling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, shared by Charles Dodgson with Alice Liddell and her sisters during a boating trip from Folly Bridge in 1862.
Events will take place across the city at venues including The Story Museum, Alice’s Shop, the Bodleian Library, Christ Church, the Museum of Oxford and Oxford Botanic Garden.
Conrad Bodman, CEO of The Story Museum, said: “We’re proud that Alice’s Day has become such firm fixture in Oxford’s cultural calendar.”
A highlight of this year’s celebrations will be a street theatre performance by Creation Theatre, reimagining Alice as she chases the White Rabbit.
At Westgate, Rough Magic Theatre will present the Jabberwock using a mix of shadow puppetry and live singing.
Visitors will be able to try their hand at croquet in the Master’s Garden at Christ Church and attend a Magic Lantern show in the Dodgson Room.
The Museum of Oxford will offer a special Hands-On History session exploring the objects and stories connected to Alice’s Day.
At the Weston Library, storyteller Lucy Walters will perform tales from Wonderland.
The Bodleian Library will also host talks from the Lewis Carroll Society.
The Story Museum will offer half-price entry to its galleries, including Small Worlds, and a full day of themed activities.
These will include face painting, poetry with the Oxford Poetry Library, a giant interactive board game, and a talk by author Anna James about her latest book, Alice With a Why.
Afternoon tea will be served in the Story Museum’s Magic Common Room, with traditional sandwiches, cakes, and treats.
The event is sponsored this year by law firm Howes Percival.
Alice’s Day is held on the first Saturday of July each year, close to the date of Carroll’s original storytelling in 1862.
The festival commemorates not just a story, but a turning point in children’s literature and Oxford’s literary legacy.
Mr Bodman said: “Over the years, we’ve welcomed Alice fans from around the world who want to celebrate an enduring literary icon.”
After the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Oxford became known worldwide as a centre for children’s storytelling, inspiring writers such as Kenneth Grahame, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and Philip Pullman.
Councillor Andrea Powell, who represents Benson and Crowmarsh, was elected to the role on May 14 and will serve for the next 12 months.
She takes over from Katharine Keats-Rohan, having previously served as her vice chair.
Councillor Powell said: “I’m honoured that my peers at South Oxfordshire District Council have elected me as the new Chair.
“I’m really looking forward to the next twelve months, meeting as many residents and community groups as possible, not just the groups that I’m a part of.
“I want to celebrate the remarkable generosity and dedication of our communities and volunteers here in South Oxfordshire.
“I’d also like to say a huge thank you to our latest Chair, Councillor Katharine Keats-Rohan, for her excellent term.
“It was a privilege to serve under her as the Vice Chair.”
Councillor Powell has served as a district councillor since 2019 and has held roles as a cabinet member and Green group leader.
As part of her new role, she has chosen two charities to support during her term: Style Acre, which helps people with learning disabilities and autism, and Cycling Without Age Oxfordshire, which offers free trishaw rides to elderly and vulnerable adults.
To support the charities, she plans to take part in a 66-mile cycle event on Dartmouth on June 20.
The council website offers more information on the duties of the chair.
From Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 24, the centre will welcome both existing and new visitors by offering a range of free activities, such as gym taster sessions, group exercise classes, and pickleball.
The centre, first opened in 1976, has continued to evolve over the decades to meet the needs of the growing town and its surrounding areas.
Wantage Leisure Centre now covers a variety of activities, from swimming lessons to fitness memberships.
Vale of White Horse District Council announced a £982,000 investment to further improve facilities.
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