Frustration has reached breaking point over the stalled transformation of Jericho Wharf along the Oxford Canal, with authorities now pledging to make headway on a project that has been debated for twenty years.
Oxford City Council’s cabinet convened on Wednesday and took a significant step forward in efforts to revitalise the abandoned boatyard situated in Jericho.
Cheer Team Corporation, a company registered in Hong Kong, had secured planning consent for a mixed-use scheme comprising housing, a boatyard, community facilities and a public square. However, this permission expired in February, having been awarded on appeal two years earlier.
This expiry presented the council with an opportunity to reclaim stewardship of the site, an objective championed by the Jericho Wharf Trust and allied organisations.
The site has remained vacant and neglected for two decades.
Cabinet members agreed to search for a fresh development partner capable of presenting a sustainable commercial proposal. The goal is to obtain the property through negotiation, though officials will consider deploying a Compulsory Purchase Order if discussions fail.
Should authorities proceed with a CPO, an additional report demonstrating compliance with statutory requirements would require cabinet approval.
Councillor Ed Turner, serving as deputy leader and responsible for finance and asset management, expressed gratitude for backing from those advocating for redevelopment and acknowledged the considerable efforts of campaigners, fellow councillors and staff who have dedicated substantial time to advancing the scheme.
He indicated the council would explore every avenue to secure a viable development and remarked that after such an extended period, unacceptable stagnation persists. He noted that recent communications with the site’s owner had exhausted his tolerance, asserting decisive action must commence without delay.
Multiple residents addressed the cabinet meeting, each endorsing the principle of using a CPO as an extreme measure.
Peter Stalker, speaking as treasurer of the Jericho Community Association, which formed during the early 1980s concurrently with the establishment of the community facility within the former St Barnabas Church Institute, noted the centre has continued serving as a vital hub for the Jericho neighbourhood.
The venue hosts an extensive variety of activities and organisations, though the council determined more than ten years ago that the structure no longer meets requirements. Subsequent improvements that were anticipated never came to fruition.
David Edwards addressed the gathering on behalf of the Jericho Wharf Trust, an organisation that has spent over two decades advocating for the site’s transformation to benefit the community and provide boatyard services. The trust has collaborated productively with successive owners and developers, yet commitments made have repeatedly come to nothing.
Mr Edwards observed that this recurring pattern has left local residents weary of unfulfilled assurances and successive speculative proposals.
Toby Jones, a resident of a narrowboat on the Oxford Canal, outlined the challenges facing those dependent on boat maintenance who currently lack any city-based boatyard facility, with the nearest options located in Heyford or Witney.
He suggested that visiting the Heyford boatyard would illustrate what could be achieved locally, describing it as attractive. He expressed the view that Oxford could host such a facility, noting it would be particularly appealing near St Barnabas Church, rather than tolerating the current eyesore. A boatyard at this location would serve narrowboat owners while offering broader community benefits and drawing visitors from across Oxford.
Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, representing the Carfax and Jericho ward, stated his hope that the prospect of compulsory purchase would prompt the desired outcome of securing development, whether with the existing owner or a new one. He emphasised that delivery matters more than the specific party involved, and that progress has been required for considerable time.