Wharf compulsory purchase may restart development

A local authority has said it is now "exploring options to help bring forward" the development of a derelict city centre wharf.

Jericho Wharf, in Oxford, has been practically abandoned since the working boatyard closed in 1992, with various plans to redevelop the site falling by the wayside in the ensuing decades.

Planning permission issued to the site's current owner, Cornerstone Land, in 2022 has since expired - with Oxford City Council now saying it is now looking at implementing its own plans.

Among these options are proposals to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire the site "if necessary", the council said.

"The local community has waited far too long for progress at Jericho Wharf," Oxford City Council's deputy leader Alex Hollingsworth said.

"So, we're exploring ways to make sure the site finally delivers the homes and community facilities they were promised."

A council report published on Tuesday said that if the current landowner were unable to commence with its development, then the authority would look for an alternative.

This would involve developers with a "viable business plan to acquire the site and deliver a mix of homes, public realm improvements and community facilities".

The report added that a Compulsory Purchase Order could be used by the authority "as a last resort" if a sale of the land could not be agreed.

If approved by the council's cabinet on 18 March, the authority said the process to find a new developer could take up to nine months.

It had set £200,000 aside to fund the initial process, the council added.

You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.