Begbroke & Yarnton Green Belt

Photos from the Begbroke & Yarnton Green Belt Campaign. This area of green belt keeps villages north of Oxford City as seperate places. Currently there is an attempt to remove the land's greenbelt status, so up to 4,400 homes can be built, which would join up the three places as one. (4,400 homes will likely mean approx 6,000 cars and 10,000 people.)

In the 2011 census Begbroke had a population of 783. The village has a parish church with a history stretching back to the 12th century. The village hall has bowling and cricket greens. Yarnton's population in the 2011 census was 2,545. This historic village has a manor house, that dates back to the Norman era. St Bartholomew, the parish church was rebuilt in the 13th century. Inside there is remains of wall paintings dating from the 14th century.

Kidlington, the largest of the settlements has a population of about 13,000. It was mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086. St Mary the Virgin Church in the village was built in 1220.

The land targeted for housing is a mix of arable land, grazing pastures and native deciduous trees and hedges. The butterfly above is a Speckled Wood.

Here is a video of the local councillors as they vote in favour of the plans to build on the greenbelt, which would merge the villages for the first time ever in approximately 1000 years.

Begbroke & Yarnton Green Belt campaign website https://www.ourgreenbelt.uk/