A charity has expressed ‘serious concerns’ about a reorganisation proposal for Oxford due to its environmental impact.
CPRE Oxfordshire has declared the proposal for a ‘Greater Oxford’ unitary authority ‘flawed’ and emphasised the importance of protecting the green belt from what the countryside charity considers ‘opportunistic expansion’.
According to the charity, the proposal would encompass large areas of the city’s green belt, which exists to support local food supply, combat climate change and encourage connection to nature.
Cllr Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: 'Greater Oxford will bring local decisions under one roof and closer to the people they affect – helping us build more affordable homes, provide new bus connections, protect green spaces and enhance biodiversity, and create new, secure jobs for our children and grandchildren.
'Our proposals will bring better services and help make Greater Oxford a fairer place to live, work and visit.'
However, CPRE has argued that the proposal is ‘not the solution’, advocating instead for more ‘community involvement’ in decisions to bolster local interest and democracy.
To learn more about LGR proposals, check out: Reading BC accused of reorganisation ‘land grab’.
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