PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS
The Property forms Phase 1 of the Didcot Gateway Regeneration project and comprises three development parcels totalling approximately 0.85 hectares (2.1 acres)
Prominent location addressing entrance to Didcot Parkway railway station and transport hub.
Subject to an Outline Planning Application (ref: P22/S0491/O) for up to 144 Dwellings.
Flexibility for a variation of the building heights and mix within the application parameter plans.
The Property is offered for sale Freehold with vacant possession. The existing Licence with UKPC to operate part of the Property for car parking will be terminated ahead of Contract Completion.
Homes England are seeking offers on a Conditional (Subject to Planning) basis.
Communications are excellent with the A34(T) linking the M4 and M40 motorways 6 miles away, and Didcot Parkway railway station with regular main line services to London Paddington and Bristol 8 miles away.
SITE LOCATION
Didcot is located approximately 15 miles south of Oxford and 15 miles northwest of Reading. It is well connected to the national highway network with the
A4130 connecting the town with Milton interchange of the A34 to the west (3 miles) and Henley on Thames to the east (19 miles). In turn the A34 links to M4 Junction 13 to the south and M40 Junction 9 in the north.
Didcot Parkway railway station provides high frequency rail links to London, Reading, Bristol and Oxford. London Paddington is within 1hr travel time. In addition, the Elizabeth Line provides direct rail services from Reading into Central London. Frequent bus services to Milton Park which is home to 250+
science and technology businesses and other employment centres, can be accessed from the bus interchange outside the railway station.
Didcot is located centrally within Science Vale UK which includes two enterprise zones at Science Vale Oxford and the Didcot Growth Accelerator. The area is a regional focus for scientific research and development and high technology businesses, offering excellent employment opportunities within a short distance from the Site. The town was designated as a Garden Town in 2015 with a vision of delivering 15,050 homes and 20,000 high tech jobs in the area.
The Site is located centrally in Didcot, directly adjacent to Didcot Parkway railway station. The Orchard Shopping Centre is located a short distance to the east of the Site and provides the main retail and leisure offering within Didcot. Current occupiers include Sainsbury's, M&S Foodhall, Nando's, Dunelm, TK Maxx and Next.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The Property comprises three land parcels, all located within a short distance of each other, and all lie immediately south of the railway station.
Parcel A. Land at Haydon Road - Previously referred to as Julian's Garage (0.58 hectares / 1.43 acres)
Rectangular in shape, the parcel is bounded by Station Road to the north, Haydon Road to the west and Lydalls road to the south. To the east, the parcel borders the Prince of Wales public house, a surface level car park and Lydalls Nursery School. It is located opposite Didcot Parkway and currently serves as a surface level public car park with vehicular access provided from Station Road.
Parcel B. Land at Station Road, the former labour club (0.11 hectares / 0.27 acres)
The smallest of the three parcels and triangular in shape. It is bordered by Station Road to the north and Lydalls Road to the south and east. The western
boundary abuts the Soha Housing Association office premises comprising a two-storey office building fronting Station Road with a car park to the rear accessed from Lydalls Road.
The former labour club building has been demolished by Homes England and the parcel is currently cleared and vacant.
Parcel C. Land at Lydalls Road, the former Jet garage site (0.16 hectares / 0.39 acres)
The former garage site also includes the land from a pair of semi-detached houses to form an irregular parcel south and west of Station Road. Immediately
north, between the parcel and station road is a verge laid to grass with a series of pedestrian and cycle paths laid to tarmac. To the south and east the parcel
borders existing housing. The garage and houses have been demolished and cleared to ground level.
OUTLINE PLANNING APPLICATION
The Property is currently subject to an Outline planning application (with all matters reserved except for access) for the demolition of existing structures and
redevelopment for up to 144 dwellings, hard and soft landscaping, parking and all associated engineering works. (as amended & amplified by documents received 12 December 2022, 16 May 2023, 22 August 2023, 15 January 2024 and 25 March 2024)"
South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) planning ref: P22/S0491/O
This application has been subject to extensive consultation and agreement with all statutory and non-statutory parties. This has confirmed acceptance
of the details of means of access to the site, quantum of development, quantum of car parking, overall disposition of land uses, scale, green infrastructure of the Outline Application parameters.
The S106 Heads of Terms are also broadly established, though these will need to be refreshed by the successful developer.
This application is currently on hold and a 'Letter of Comfort' has been agreed with South Oxfordshire District Council, acknowledging that an alternative
reduced density scheme can be submitted as part of a revised planning application (outline / reserved matters), provided the proposals sit within the outline parameters as submitted, remain subject to policies of the Plan and all other relevant material considerations.
TECHNICAL PACK
An extensive Technical Pack and Technical Summary Report can be accessed in the Data Room.
Please see the Technical Pack information provided for details of surveys and reports including:
Topographical Surveys, undertaken pre-demolition
Planning application documents and drawings
Ground investigation reports including Remediation Strategy
METHOD OF SALE
The Property is being offered for sale by Informal Tender on a Conditional (Subject to Planning) basis. The Vendor is not obliged to accept the highest or
indeed any offer.
Offers should be made via the Tender Submission Form, which is available in the Data Room. This form must be submitted to .
Bidders are asked to submit documents in the form of a zip file. Under no circumstances should bidders submit their tenders to an alternative email address (for the avoidance of doubt, this includes Homes England's Project Manager or Carter Jonas).
Please refer to the Invitation to Tender & Guidance Document (ITT) which is available in the Data Room. This document covers all the important details relevant to tender submission, specifically Section 7, within which the pass/fail criteria is retailed: bidders are required to 'pass' all of the criteria for their land value offer to be evaluated.
DATA ROOM
Further information is provided in the Data Room:
