Sensitive landscape-led masterplan

The vision for the new development is to deliver a landscape-focused, exemplary high-quality and highly sustainable residential urban extension to Didcot, which is sensitive to the adjacent landscape setting of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), integrates with existing adjacent residential areas, and promotes long-term health and cohesion of the community.

The site covers an area of approximately 13.2 hectares and is located on the eastern fringe of Didcot. Currently, flat open arable farmland, bordered to the north by the mainline railway embankment and the Hanson Way - a dedicated cycle path connecting Didcot with Oxford and Abingdon. To the east lies the North Wessex Downs AONB, characterised by expansive open farmland, with an existing tree belt to the southern edge.

More than half of the site, particularly towards the northern and AONB edges, has been zoned as space to be left undeveloped. This deliberate set back of the development edge and reduced scale of density would maintain an open character and outlook for users of the footpath and, importantly, views east and south-east to and from the AONB would be preserved. The layout and heights of proposed new dwellings have been designed to create a gradual transition between the AONB and the developed area, particularly along the northern, eastern and southern edges.