Oxford University make investment warning amid parking row

In an open letter, sent to Oxfordshire County Council, a group led by estate agent Savills and including developers and university colleges, has predicted a hit to new home delivery and business funding if new parking standards are not dropped soon.

They also said the new rules may lead to existing communities being charged to park on the street, outside their own homes.

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Delivered on Wednesday, June 17, the letter was signed by David Jackson, director at estate agents Savills, on behalf of Oxford University Development, as well as Brasenose, Christ Church, Exeter, Magdalen, New, Nuffield and St John’s colleges.

The university and colleges are involved in a number of building projects around the city including Begbroke and Oxford North innovation districts, and 1,450-home Bayswater Brook.

An aerial view of the innovation area at Begbroke Science Park Photo: Cavendish

In addition, developers Bellway Homes, Catesby Estates, Dorchester Residential Management and Greencore Homes were also signatories.

The group stressed that they support the council’s overall transport objectives including reducing car usage and increasing active travel but are “deeply concerned” about the 2026 standards.

These were adopted at a council meeting on April 21, and it was proposed they should apply to the entire county.

David Jackson, director at estate agents Savills (Image: Savills)

In his letter, Mr Jackson highlighted the introduction of a new category for residential development ‘Car Light’ and changes to the previously existing ‘Car Free’ communities.

‘Car Light’ is a new distinction for which a reduced level of parking provision is mandated, with 50 per cent of parking required to be on the street.

The tweaks to the ‘Car Free’ communities, which will see acceptable walking distances increased, would significantly extend the area in which new homes will have to be built with no parking provision.

The Red Hall under construction at Oxford North development (Image: Ed Nix)

The leader of Oxfordshire County Council denied the new parking standards were about being “anti-car”.

Tim Bearder said: “Oxfordshire is being asked to accommodate very significant housing and employment growth over the coming decades, but we cannot endlessly widen roads or build ever more parking spaces.”

The Liberal Democrat explained that if car use grows unchecked, congestion will worsen, creating difficulties for those who have no alternative to driving.

Councillor Tim Bearder (Image: Tim Bearder)

In addition, parking spaces take up land and reduce the number of homes that can be delivered.

Mr Bearder, who was named leader only last month, said transport had to be balanced, with developments prioritised for areas where public transport is an option.

“If we fail to plan for that now,” he said, “the scale of growth being imposed on Oxfordshire will overwhelm a transport network that is already under considerable pressure”.

A proposed bridge at the Bayswater Brook development (Image: Christ Church/Dorchester Residential Management)

However, Mr Jackson and those behind him have made dire warnings following the introduction of the 2026 standards and have called on the local authority to withdraw them and undertake a full and open consultation on how the previous rules might be adapted.

If left, the group warned the measures would “undermine, or at the least significantly delay, the delivery of much-needed homes” including affordable properties.

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They added: “They are likely to give rise to a withdrawal of investment from new business and commercial spaces consequent on the drop in the attractiveness of Oxfordshire as a location for businesses to move to.”

In addition, existing communities may well be impacted, said Mr Jackson, as a requirement for ‘Car Free’ projects will be that Controlled Parking Zones will be introduced into communities near developments to manage the risk of overspill parking in roads next to developments.

He said: “This will have the effect of requiring residents in those neighbouring communities to pay an annual fee to park on street.”