Didcot Garden Town project criticised by councillors

The Didcot Garden Town Delivery Plan aims to help “improve the lives of residents” by looking at how to “improve community spaces, public walkways and cycling networks”.

Didcot was first awarded ‘garden town’ status in 2015 by the Government, endorsing the delivery of 15,000 new jobs and 20,000 new homes in the area.

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Proposed Didcot Garden Town Master Plan

According to developers, the concept of a ‘garden town’ encompasses the idea of building a ‘complete and wholesome’ place to live.

The Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council has since revised the plans, first published in 2017, to now include feedback received from residents, businesses, and the parish “sounding boards”.

However, councillors have criticised the delivery plan at a meeting of the district council’s scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday (26) saying there is ‘nothing to show for the project.’

Speaking to Councillor Robin Bennett, the district council cabinet member responsible for the delivery plan, councillor Anna Badcock said: “Since 2017, you've gone off and done some more research which seems to be surveys, gathering information, that sort of thing.

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“I'm just struggling to see what has physically and tangibly been delivered to the residents of Didcot and whether they would really see anything that that they would say yes, that money has been spent well so far.”

Didcot Gateway plans from Homes England. An illustration of the potential site for the garden town.

Mr Bennett responded that he wasn’t “in charge” of the project at the start and it was the council’s Conservative leadership at the time who was responsible.

However, Ms Badcock said Mr Bennett has been in charge for a “greater amount of time” and added that “taking some responsibility for the delivery would be wise.”

Councillor Mocky Khan, chair of the scrutiny committee and leader of Didcot Town Council, asked: “Are you proud of what was happened so far? Or do you think we've wasted the last five years?”

Mr Bennett said that the council had received an “unwieldly list of projects” from the previous leadership so hasn’t achieved as much as he would have liked.

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“I think quite a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get us to position to be able to do things,” he said. “Although there is substantial funding in reserve from Homes England we still need a lot more we still need to be in a position to attract a lot more funding to deliver these things properly.

“I would be frustrated if I was a Didcot resident, I can't argue, I would have loved to some bits have happened quicker.”

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This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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