Oxpens site past & present
Oxpens lies in the ancient Oxford parish of St Thomas, just outside the line of the medieval city wall. To the east, is the parish of St Ebbes which together with St Thomas became the focus of the city’s industrial and residential development in the 18th and 19th centuries aided by the arrival of the railway. The name ‘Oxpens’ suggests that by tradition oxen and cattle were once grazed here.
Industry and commerce
In the 19th and early 20th centuries the area combined local housing with major contribution to the industrial base of Oxford, including milling, brewing, malting, the gas works and the cattle market.
Prominent businesses included Frank Cooper’s Oxford Marmalade at the Jam Factory and notable local brewers including Halls and Morrells.
Oxpens today
Here are some of the buildings and features you may recognise from on and around the site today.
West End Story
The West End of Oxford is designated as an “Area of Change” in Oxford’s new Local Plan with Oxpens allocated for mixed-use development with a range of residential and commercial buildings that could form part of a new innovation district for the City.
To help guide development, Oxford City Council is also preparing a West End Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
Oxpens lies at the heart of this area.
Station Quarter
The expansion and development of Oxford Railway Station is a key priority for Oxford and for the West End. In the short-term there are plans for an extra railway line, platform and ticket office on the west side and in the long-term there are plans to upgrade the main station area on the east side and re-open the Cowley Branch line.
Osney Bridge
The City Council is working with Oxfordshire County Council to deliver a new cycle/pedestrian bridge over the River Thames - to be called ‘Osney Bridge’. This link will complete and connect cycle routes to/from Oxford Station and the city centre, the south (New Hinksey) and the proposed Osney Mead development.
The ‘Island Site’
These sites comprise the Island Site (land between Hythe Bridge Street and Park End Street), South Frideswide Square (opposite the station and the Said Business School) and Worcester Street car park. These three sites form an important part of the west end and its relationship with the rest of the city centre. Nuffield College has appointed a masterplan team and aims to begin a public conversation about the sites in the near future.
Osney Mead
With the University of Oxford as a major landowner, this 44-acre industrial site has huge potential and could become a centre for a range of innovation-focused activity. It is currently under-developed and has an excellent location - which will only be improved by anticipated upgrades to transport connection including the proposed Osney Bridge.
Creating a new quarter for Oxford
The Oxpens area of St Thomas and St Ebbe’s has traditionally included a mix of housing and industry and this could continue with new residences and the new industries of the 21st century, built around a distinctive new public space - the ‘Oxpens Amphiteatre’.
Oxpens will be a place to live, work, visit and enjoy.
Climate change
Oxford City Council has declared a climate emergency meaning all new development must work hard to minimize its impact and achieve the highest sustainability standards.
Addressing climate change is at the heart of our masterplan thinking. It includes how we think about site layout, connectivity, energy, carbon reduction, water, flood management and all aspects of the design process.
Skyline
Oxford’s skyline is iconic. It has been continuously evolving for more than 700 years, with each new era adding its own contribution.
We’re ambitious for Oxpens and think the site could bring something to the skyline, recognising the expansion of the city centre. If carefully designed and sensitively located, we believe this could be the right location for some height – in the form of a tower or spire – and we want to explore that further.
Creating new public space for Oxford
At the heart of the Oxpens development could be the Oxpens Amphitheatre. This stunning new public space could be used for a wide variety of activities, events and could be the centre piece of the West End.
Activities
The most successful city spaces are vibrant, attractive places where people choose to go and to stay. Our emerging proposals explore ideas for a new amphitheatre within the site - and we can see the opportunity for arts, community and cultural events in the space.
Equally we want this piece of riverside to become a destination people can enjoy, whether for a picnic, walk or riverside drink.
Oxpens Amphitheatre
Oxpens provides a fantastic opportunity to create a distinctive new public space with views through to the river, and connections to Oxpens Meadows, Grandpont and the footpath network.
The proposed new destination space could include a stepped amphitheatre with accessible ramps, planting, seating and sculptural play elements, all designed to be flood resilient.
Landscape & open space
Our proposals look to set new development within the distinctive riverside landscape. The emerging designs seek to make the most of the site’s relationship to the city centre, the river and surrounding area, including transport connections at the railway station and links with the communities of Osney and Grandpont as well as St Thomas and St Ebbes.
Landscape and open space is the means to join everything up.
Oxpens Meadows
The Oxpens Meadows would continue to be protected as a public open space and would naturally connect to the new amphitheatre.
The ambition is to make them more appealing to visit because of the mix of things around them, without diminishing them as a natural asset. We believe there are opportunities to ‘activate’ the river edge.
Landscaping to Manage Flooding
Parts of the site, as well as the adjoining Oxpens Meadows lie within the flood plain. To manage the flood risk and to create the proposed Oxpens Amphitheatre and land for the surrounding buildings, we propose to lower the northern part of the Oxpens Meadow. This ensures the flood capacity in the area is maintained.
Both the meadows and proposed amphitheatre would continue as a dynamic landscape that changes through the seasons.
Movement and connectivity
Minutes from the railway station and the bus stops at Frideswide Square and Westgate, and with the proposed new cycle and pedestrian routes through the site, Oxpens will be a highly sustainable new development. A mainly car-free neighbourhood, parking could be limited to car clubs and blue badge holders.
Oxpens Road
Oxpens Road is proposed to become a low emission zone in 2022. Our aspiration is to humanise the street by reducing the speed limit to 20mph , widen the cycle lanes, narrowing the vehicle carriageway and improving pedestrian and cycle access to and from Westgate. The road will be overlooked by new street-facing development on the east side, with extensive new tree planting. The Oxpens Road Car Park will close.
Osney Bridge & River Corridor
The City Council is working with Oxfordshire County Council to deliver a new cycle/pedestrian bridge over the River Thames – to be called ‘Osney Bridge’. This will link the site to/from Oxford Station, city centre, the south (New Hinksey) and the proposed Osney Mead development, connecting the site to the existing and attractive river walks and cycle routes along the river corridor, rooting the development firmly in this distinctive part of Oxford.
Feedback and next steps
Please provide your comments on this emerging Oxpens proposal to help inform the next stages of its evolution. The closing date for submission of completed feedback forms is 31 July 2021.
Indicative Architect’s Vision
Following completion of this stage of consultation and engagement, there will be further opportunities for the community and stakeholders to review more detailed designs and help to shape the scheme.
The next steps are as follows:
