20 July 2021

Otmoor is one of Oxfordshire’s greatest conservation success stories. Discover from David Wilding, the Otmoor Reserve Site Manager, how the RSPB has “transformed boring arable fields into an incredible wetland oasis in the heart of England”. Former wheat fields are now home to an impressive range of wetland species including bittern, marsh harrier and drumming…

12 June 2021

National and local government commitments to net zero CO2 emissions have major implications for energy, transport and heating. Professor Nick Eyre, recently appointed as Scientific Adviser to Oxford City Council, considers what needs to be done locally, what progress is being made and what more needs to be done.

We organised four debates about the future of Oxfordshire

2 June 2021

This article is for the record, describing the four free debates on development planning and management in Oxfordshire organised by Oxford Civic Society in May 2021. We all know that Oxfordshire is a wonderful place: beautiful countryside, magnificent buildings, a thriving economy and a reputation for innovation. Who wasn’t proud that the AstraZeneca vaccine against…

Donate on our JustGiving page

24 April 2021

Over 350 of our litter-pickers have vanished from the lock-up where they were stored. We need them for this year’s OxClean Clean-up! We’re appealing to all our supporters and everyone who hates litter to help towards the cost of replacing them. As pandemic regulations ease, our OxClean volunteers have been finalising plans for our annual…

9 April 2021

Gordon Mitchell was Oxford City Council’s Chief Executive from May 2017 to April 2021. Gordon provided strong support to the city council, including the creation of council-owned businesses, managing its finances in very difficult circumstances, addressing climate change, Covid recovery and the need to tackle inclusivity. He describes how addressing these challenges will help us…

OCS supports the proposal for a new station serving Begbroke/Kidlington

2 April 2021

Building a new station to serve Begbroke and Kidlington is an excellent step forward. It would provide an attractive train service to Oxford and beyond for the people of Kidlington as well as those living in the planned new developments, and link them with other research and innovation campuses.

1 March 2021

Imagine the whole county being powered by an interconnected series of smart micro-grids centred around multiple small-scale, community-controlled renewable energy schemes. That is the vision of the Low Carbon Hub, a social enterprise that aims to prove we can meet our energy needs in a way that is good for people and the planet. The…

25 February 2021

Bob Colenutt explains how today’s crisis in housing and the affordability of homes relates to the residential property development business and the behaviour of its participants. Bob, an OCS member and active member of the Housing Policy Group, is the author of a book described as ‘the perfect guide’ to the complexities of the housing…

Losing local oversight of changes could lead to poor developments.

2 February 2021

Oxford Civic Society has objected strongly to the Government's plans to derugulate an important part of the local planning process. The proposals would allow many premises to be converted to residential use without needing planning permission. 

15 January 2021

Thanks to a gift of £5,000 in 1621, Oxford acquired the first scientific garden in Great Britain which now hosts over 5,000 plant species. Gardeners’ Question Time panellist and Deputy Director of the Botanic Garden, Dr Chris Thorogood, explained its history and its role in research, conservation, education and public understanding. With accelerating global warming, what…