Fears developments will be a disaster for Oxfordshire village

Residents in the quiet North Oxfordshire village of Somerton say they are bracing for what they describe as an environmental disaster, should four major development schemes move forward at the same time. The concerns have been building for months, but this week the parish council issued its strongest warning yet, urging planners and developers to consider the cumulative impact on the small rural community.

Somerton, which sits just a few miles from Bicester, finds itself surrounded by proposals of unusual scale. Within a three mile radius, plans are being considered for a new town at Heyford Park, a railway freight interchange, expansive warehousing projects and a major theme park modelled on the French attraction Puy du Fou. The theme park alone is expected to draw around 1.4 million visitors a year, a number that residents say could overwhelm the area’s narrow roads and fragile countryside.

For villagers who value Somerton’s tranquillity, the pace and volume of development feels unprecedented. Local representatives warn that no single project is being considered in relation to the others, raising fears that each application could be approved independently without any assessment of the combined strain on roads, noise levels, wildlife habitats and local services. The parish council has said the village risks being swallowed by traffic, construction and rising pollution if all four projects proceed unchecked.

The strongest frustration stems from the belief that Somerton, a village with limited resources and infrastructure, cannot absorb the ripple effects of such large scale schemes. Many residents worry that rural Oxfordshire, often seen as a pastoral buffer between urban centres, is becoming a target for industrial expansion and high volume tourism without adequate protections in place. They argue that once the character of the landscape is altered, it cannot be restored.

In its formal statement, the parish council called on all the organisations involved to collaborate more closely. It insisted that only a joint approach can prevent what it described as environmental damage on a scale the village has never faced. The council is asking for clear modelling on air quality, traffic movements and water management, along with assurances that wildlife and farmland will not be sacrificed for profit driven projects.

Oxfordshire County Council has acknowledged the concerns and confirmed it has asked the developers to work together, encouraging a holistic view of the improvements needed. Officials say a coordinated assessment is essential for determining whether infrastructure upgrades can keep pace with the demands of multiple sites. However, villagers remain sceptical, pointing out that requests for cooperation do not always translate into concrete action.

For now, Somerton continues to campaign for more transparency and a stronger voice in the planning process. With each proposal still under consideration, many fear the window to safeguard the village’s character is closing. Whether the developments will move forward unchanged or face greater scrutiny is yet to be seen, but the stakes for this small Oxfordshire community feel higher than ever.