Oxford City Council has given planning permission for a £10m pedestrian and cycle crossing across the River Thames in west Oxford.
The bridge connects growth areas of Osney Mead and Oxpens as the path continues on to the city centre, and ties into the redevelopment of Oxford station in the city’s west.
It is being funded through the Oxfordshire Growth Deal.
The steel Oxpens Bridge was designed by Knight Architects “to integrate with the local landscape, particularly the surrounding meadows, and to prioritise visual lightness”.
Stantec worked as structural engineer on the bridge, which will be fabricated by Briton, and the contractor will be Balfour Beatty.
A requirement of the city council’s Oxford Local Plan is to support wider regeneration of the west end of Oxford and the new bridge will “maximise connectivity and minimise congestion for existing residents and commuters as well as for evolving new communities in and around Oxford City Centre”.
The approaches to the bridge are designed to meet accessibility requirements, avoiding steep slopes. The design team is progressing to the detailed design phase of the bridge.
Oxford City Council’s timeline for the bridge aims to see construction start this summer as there is a requirement from the Oxfordshire Growth Deal for construction to be complete by 31 March 2025.
Knight Architects director Tom Osborne said: “Achieving planning permission for any bridge over the Thames is a huge challenge so we’re delighted to see this project move forward.
“Good design is a unique response to people and place and we believe this new crossing will continue Oxford’s long-standing ambition to promote modal shift as well as unlock the place-making potential of this beautiful site.”
Impacts on habitat and species on the site have been considered during the development of the bridge design to minimise disruption to habitats and avoid excessive light along the river.
On completion of the bridge, bird nest and bat-roosting boxes will be installed on retained trees within the Grandpont Nature Park to provide additional habitat for these species.
During the construction works, appropriate working practices will be implemented to avoid harm to protected species, including breeding birds, with works carried out under a district licence in relation to the potential presence of great crested newts.
Upon completion, maintenance responsibility will be Oxford City Council’s and the design has been “deliberately considered to support the ease of maintenance”.
Achievements and innovations in future transport projects will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
