Crime & Safety
1,000 Bicester homes could damage Roman site near A41
The homes would be built on agricultural land west of Bicester, between the A41 and Blackthorn Road.
But an environment document for the early-stage plans has raised concerns about the damage to a “high archaeological potential” site.
An 80-bed care home, a local centre and open space would also be included in the development.
A geological survey of the site, which lies in a landscape of rich Roman activity, showed anomalies including enclosures, pits, trackways, postholes, ring ditches, potential boundaries and kilns.
As part of the next steps, an outline planning application should be submitted, including an Environmental Statement to assess any potential significant environmental effects.
Other concerns have been raised about ecology, transport, limited sewage capacity and inadequate infrastructure, including no plans for a new school.
Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife is “very concerned” about the location and cumulative ecological impact.
The site extends Bicester towards a cluster of reserves, meadows and sites of special scientific interest, including a 22 hectare local wildlife site within 100m.
It warns development could sever strategic ecological corridors, contrary to the local plan policy.
With plans for the Oxfordshire Strategic Rail Freight Interchange near J10, Puy du Four theme park and major housing at RAF Upper Heyford, these could create near-continuous urbanisation, blocking non-urban tolerant species.
Ambrosden Parish Council stated strong objections to the un-allocated site, local circumstances, infrastructure, biodiversity and traffic and highways.
Launton Parish Council detailed concerns, stating surface water runoff could risk Launton Brook, fears of coalescence with Wretchwick Farm and the need for improvements to the local sewerage network.
Bicester Town Council and Blackthorn Parish Council did not comment at the time of drafting the report.
Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, says the submitted transport study area is too narrow and must be agreed, including key A41 junctions such as Ploughley Road, Oxford Road, Lakeview Drive, and Rodney House roundabout.
READ MORE: Motorised underpass preferred option for Bicester crossing
It demands a full collision analysis on the A41, where there has been a fatality, to understand causation and design issues, agreed trip rates, 18 and 24-hour traffic calculations and an assessment for potential speed boundary changes.
Alongside the parish councils, the county council noted a lack of proposed school and therefore the potential for insufficient pre, primary and secondary education.
As a result, the county council stresses a need for active travel links to Wretchwick Green’s consented primary school and Kingsmere secondary.
The applicant now needs to prepare a full environmental statement covering the identified topics, commission an extended transport study with the county council, archaeology evaluation and ecological strategy.
Thames Valley Police’s roads policing unit said buyers should ‘beware’ after a car was recently stopped and discovered to be stolen.
The ‘owner’ had bought it, they thought legitimately, through online second-hand retail platform Facebook marketplace, ‘thinking they’d found a bargain’.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire councils’ senior staff paid £13m last year
A spokesperson for police said: “Just a heads-up to everyone scrolling through marketplace looking for a good deal…
“Someone recently bought a car through Facebook marketplace, thinking they’d found a bargain.
“Everything looked legit at first, but it turns out the vehicle had actually been stolen.
“Now they’re left without the car and out of pocket, and learnt a tough and expensive lesson.”
Advise for would-be car buyers through retail platforms online includes checking the vehicle history through and HPI check, making sure the V5C logbook is present and matches the seller and verify the seller’s ID and address.
Police also recommended not paying in cash or without proper receipts and being ‘cautious’ of deals which look too good to be true.
The songs were written and produced as part of The Keepsake Circle project, which is delivered through the charity’s bereavement support services.
Each song is a personal tribute to a child who has died, created in collaboration with their families to capture the memories, love, and personality of each child.
Michaela Middleton, whose 14-year-old son Finley died in May 2023 and was a regular visitor to the hospice, said: “Helen & Douglas House has been a lifeline for our family.
“Everyone has been so kind and supportive, not just to Finley, but to all of us.
“When Finley passed away our whole world fell apart. We wanted our song to include things that Finley did and how he lived his life.
“We feel privileged to be a part of this project.
“To be able to remember our son, Finley, in a musical way is astonishing.
“Thank you, Helen & Douglas House, Kiki and Angus, for such an amazing experience.
“This has been a transformation for us in our journey of grief and Finley will live forever in song.”
Each family worked with the charity’s bereavement team and The Keepsake Circle’s Kiki Deville and Angus Powell to turn their memories into music.
Kiki Deville, who is a bereaved parent herself, said: “It is an honour and a privilege to get to know these children through the memories of their wonderful families.
“This is my son Dexter’s legacy, and I feel very proud that I can keep his name alive in doing this work.”
Sally Hayes, director of nursing and care at Helen & Douglas House, said: “Working with The Keepsake Circle gives another choice in our bereavement toolkit so that we can reach out to more families and better support those who might otherwise not use our services.
“It was a very emotional afternoon spending time with the families when they heard the songs performed live in their child’s memory for the first time.”
The album, titled Keepsake Circle: Helen & Douglas – Part 2, is available to stream or download on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and Amazon.
Released on April 6, 2026, it serves as a permanent keepsake for families and a way for others to support the hospice.
All proceeds from the album will go to Helen & Douglas House.
The project is part of the charity’s wider bereavement support, which includes emotional and practical help for parents, siblings, and grandparents for as long as they need it.
Most of these services are funded through donations.
Pace Around the World is raising funds for Katharine House Hospice, which provides free palliative care across north Oxfordshire and south Northamptonshire.
Taking place throughout June, the challenge invites individuals, businesses and community groups to collectively travel more than 40,000 miles, the distance around the globe, in 30 days.
Roseann Thompson, community engagement manager at Katharine House Hospice, said: “After the incredible energy, dedication and community spirit our supporters have brought to our events before, we’re excited to be launching this brand new virtual challenge.
“Pace Around the World is all about coming together to do something and has been designed so that everyone can take part.
“Whether you walk, run, wheel, cycle or swim, every mile you log helps move us further along our journey, all while raising much needed funds for Katharine House Hospice.
“It’s flexible, fun and you can take part wherever you are, at your own pace.”
The virtual route – which starts and ends at Katherin House – will pass through more than 30 countries and 60 cities, with milestones including the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China.
The challenge has backing from headline sponsor GRAF UK, whose team is already planning how to reach their own mileage goals.
Callum Vallance-Poole from GRAF UK said: “As a team, we love a challenge and even more so when it means raising money for our local hospice.”
To find out more about Pace Around the World and take advantage of the early bird registration fee of £20 until 24 April, visit khh.org.uk/pace
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