New council HQ approved a decade after fire

The new building will be built opposite Didcot Parkway railway station

A new headquarters for two councils has been formally approved, more than 10 years after their last permanent base was destroyed by fire.

South Oxfordshire District Council's (SODC) planning committee approved building the four-storey complex opposite Didcot Parkway railway station on Wednesday.

SODC and Vale of White Horse District Council, which share staff, will use the building, having been based at Milton Park and Abbey House in Abingdon for the last decade.

They had been based in Crowmarsh Gifford but that building was gutted in January 2015.

The application for the new building was first submitted in August 2023 with the aim of being decided by May 2024.

But a number of amendments were made to the plans, which were submitted last November, in April and in June.

SODC planning officers supported giving the new HQ planning permission.

The authority received 45 objections from members of the public and three supporting comments.

SODC and Vale Councils want to merge with West Berkshire Council to form Ridgeway Council, named after the ancient footpath that cuts through their areas.

But any plans for local government reorganisation in Oxfordshire must be confirmed by the government.