A handful of Oxfordshire residents are coming together to protect a meadow known for its wildlife, rare grasslands and ancient hedges.

Ecologist Dominic Woodfield, environmental columnist Pam Roberts, and wildlife monitor Patricia Clissold, are forming a community interest company (CIC) with the objective of protecting Gavray Meadows.

The team have been working hard to stop plans to build 500 houses on the site, which have been proposed by Gallagher Group through successive applications to Cherwell District Council.

The Local Wildlife Site (LWS) became part of CDC’s Final Adopted Local Plan as policy 13 in 2016.

In 2018 a new developer took over the site, after an adjudicator declared that the area of Gavray had to be considered as a whole.  

The new developer, L&Q, have now reduced the number of houses down to 250, leaving the best fields free for wildlife. 

Patricia Clissold, who has monitored and recorded the wildlife at Gavray Meadows for years, said: “The new developer, L&Q Estates, have been very supportive of our efforts to save the site.

“They are helping us and paying for us to set up the CIC.

“This plan is innovative and the first of its type in Bicester, and perhaps Oxfordshire.

“If successful, the land will belong to our community in perpetuity. It will be up to us to maintain it and increase its biodiversity.

“We will need lots of people from the Bicester community to join us in this new endeavour.”

The meadows are an example of the type of flood plain grasslands that are now very rare in the country. 97% of Britain’s flower-rich meadows have gone since 1930.

The area is also dotted with ancient hedges, which have been traced back to Saxon time.

Additionally, it provides habitats for several rare species, including hairstreak butterflies. The site is in fact one of the only places in the country where all five hairstreaks can be found.

Dominic Woodfield, an environmental consultant who began the protection movement for Gavray Meadows, said: “Gavray Meadows provides some very rare habitat for a lot of species you don’t see in the wider countryside. Including the Great Burnet.

“When you see these flowers, you know you are in nice grassland.

“We were looking for different solutions to protect the meadow. A CIC means local people can have ownership and manage it.

“It’s a bonus that the new developer is paying for our start up costs and helping us with funding.”

The group are holding an information stall in Bicester Market on Friday, May 27.

Followed by two guided walks around Gavray Meadows on June 11, which will depart from Langford Village Community Centre at 10:30am and 12pm, respectively.   

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1