More than three years after initial plans were put forward, controversy continues over a proposed residential scheme on a popular Oxford green space, with law enforcement officials warning the location could become a centre for illegal vehicle activity and an ongoing struggle should the project proceed.
Oxford City Council wants to construct 31 budget-priced dwellings, along with facilities for sports and children’s recreation, at New Hinksey Playground in Bertie Place, commonly referred to as Bertie Park.
The council initially revealed these ambitions in 2019, and since a planning submission was filed in May 2023, the scheme has attracted significant opposition.
Residents’ collective Save Bertie Park has been campaigning against the development, householders have filed formal objections, and Thames Valley Police has on multiple occasions voiced its worries.
The force has cautioned that the scheme could create a magnet for illegal parking at the green space.
According to the force, this would represent an endless challenge for the council if the plans get the go-ahead.
This situation unfolds as New Hinksey has been identified as among Oxford’s locations with minimal proximity to parks and gardens.
Research conducted by MG Timber and Online Marketing Surgery assessed how many postcodes in various Oxford neighbourhoods fall within 900 metres of public recreational areas.
North Central Oxford, Churchill, Grandpont, Marston and Iffley Park joined New Hinksey in having the lowest number of nearby postcodes with access to green spaces, with each area boasting just over 100 such postcodes.
Oxford Central leads the rankings with 380 postcodes.
A council planning panel session is scheduled for May 26, though the park scheme is not slated for discussion at that time and remains the second-oldest pending application on a roster of proposals anticipated to come before the panel at upcoming meetings.
The scheme was put forward as part of the council’s commitment to deliver housing that residents require.
The latest entry on the planning portal concerning this scheme is a submission from Thames Valley Police, featuring an exchange of objections between the force and the developer.
In March, Arcadis Consulting had drafted observations on behalf of Ox Place, the council’s housing entity, responding to the criticisms levelled at the plans in a document.
The observations stated that Thames Valley Police raised several objections to the suggested development in their submission dated December 8, 2025. It noted that these objections were surfacing at this juncture considering the application has been with the council since May 2023.
Thames Valley Police responded that the force has been working with the council and applicants since 2021, and they have consistently flagged the identical issues.
These included anxieties about a proposed games area incorporated within the scheme.
Officers had highlighted worries about the possibility of noise adversely affecting neighbours, community friction and disturbances.
The document noted that this location presents significant difficulties for construction, with no straightforward remedy.
A Thames Valley Police advisor acknowledged understanding the desire to maintain a facility for young people’s leisure activities, yet stated no suitable position existed if residential buildings were to be erected.
The council’s report countered that this had been tackled by proposing the area be positioned below street level and enclosed with barriers.
The police advisor responded that anxieties regarding the likelihood of criminal activity and anti-social conduct, especially after dark and during nighttime hours persisted.
They proposed a potential remedy involving taller fencing to secure the facilities when not in use during permitted operating times.