Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme

The Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme will create a new stream with a wetland wildlife corridor to reduce flood risk in the city and surrounding areas.

The scheme will be approximately 5 km long. It will start just north of Botley Road and pass under the A423 Kennington Railway Bridge (Oxford Southern by-pass) to the south, before re-joining the River Thames. Most of this area is farmland and floodplain meadow. The scheme has a nature-based design and will be natural in appearance, blending into the surrounding fields.

The scheme will reduce flood risk to all properties in Oxford currently at risk of flooding from the River Thames, as well as to the railway, local roads, utilities and services such as broadband. It will also bring additional environmental benefits, including creating over 20 hectares of valuable new wetland habitat which will link up existing wildlife sites, and around 16 hectares of floodplain meadow.

Over its lifetime, the scheme will save over £1.6 billion by reducing flood damage and disruption.

Impression of the new stream, viewed from Devil's Backbone footpath, near South Hinksey

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For more information please see our Guide to the scheme section on this page. If you have further questions, please contact us at OxfordScheme@environment-agency.gov.uk.