Bypass plan for potential new town dropped

Chalgrove Airfield could be used for 3,400 homes if Homes England's plan is successful

A government agency which had proposed to build two bypasses to take a planned new town's traffic is now only planning one.

Homes England wants to build 3,400 homes at Chalgrove Airfield, Oxfordshire, and previously proposed building two bypasses, one through Cuxham and another through Stadhampton and Chiselhampton.

It still plans to build the latter but has dropped the proposal for Cuxham and wants to use traffic calming measures and a bike path there instead.

Many residents are opposed to the homes plan, as are South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) and Chalgrove Parish Council, which said the plan would be "unsustainable due to its isolated location".

There are about 1,200 homes in Chalgrove currently and community events were held for residents about the project in April 2024.

The airfield has been used for decades by ejector seat maker Martin-Baker, which has a lease on the site until 2063. The firm has said it will not move willingly.

Homes England pulled an earlier plan in 2021 and concerns about the development and the proximity to the airfield's runway were previously raised by the Civil Aviation Authority and residents.

In documents shared by SODC, Homes England had previously planned to submit three planning applications for the development.

They would have included homes at the airfield and for its northern runway and two others for the bypasses.

Four are now planned. They would include an outline planning application for the airfield's main site, another for a realigned northern runway, one for the Stadhampton and Chiselhampton bypass and another for the Cuxham travel route.

Other proposals for traffic calming along the B480 and A329 within Stadhampton and Chiselhampton and the B480 through Cuxham are proposed but how "is yet to be determined", SODC said.