Chalgrove Airfield
A new sustainable 21st Century market town for South Oxfordshire
Chalgrove, South Oxfordshire, UK
Chalgrove is a landscape-led masterplan to transform a former WWII airfield in South Oxfordshire into a sustainable new 21st Century market new town. Designed for Homes England, the 157-hectare scheme will deliver over 3,400 new homes, 1,300 jobs, and a mix of community infrastructure, responding to the housing, climate, and wellbeing challenges facing rural communities today.
Unlocking the potential of Chalgrove Airfield
Located near Chalgrove in South Oxfordshire, the former RAF airfield was transferred to Homes England from the Ministry of Defence in 2016. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, Gillespies has led the landscape design, green and blue infrastructure strategy, and the creation of a design code to support the hybrid outline planning application. The compact new market town is carefully designed to reflect the vernacular character of South Oxfordshire, with a traditional market square, community parklands, and views to surrounding hills, spires, and manor houses. It will include much-needed new homes for this part of rural Oxfordshire, together with jobs, new amenities and improved bus services, reducing the need for rural communities to travel for essential services.
The proposals support sustainable living through a walkable neighbourhoods, safe cycle routes, allotments, and easy access to open space and nature, all reinforcing placemaking, biodiversity and active travel.
A connected, landscape-led community
Chalgrove has been designed as a cohesive, landscape-led community that seamlessly integrates with the existing village. The realignment of the B480 to its historic ‘Broadway’ route reactivates local connections, bringing vitality to the new town centre and traditional market square.
Gillespies led the landscape design and green infrastructure strategy, delivering over 40 hectares of multifunctional green space. The masterplan includes climate-resilient planting, biodiverse parklands, allotments and a network of pedestrian and cycle-friendly routes to promote active, healthy lifestyles.
A central green spine - transforming the former B480 into a car-free ‘green lane’ - creates a strong visual and physical link between Chalgrove village and the new development. Ponds, swales and tree planting will improve air quality, manage surface water and increase biodiversity.
The landscape design retains key ecological and heritage features, with more than 10% Biodiversity Net Gain achieved through habitat enhancement, ensuring Chalgrove is a resilient, nature-rich settlement rooted in its rural setting.
Respecting heritage and context
The design is rooted in the site’s rich history. The airfield lies adjacent to the Registered Battlefield of the 1643 Battle of Chalgrove, and the masterplan incorporates a new 70-hectare Battlefield Nature Area to protect, interpret and open access to this historic landscape.
Stakeholder engagement and community stewardship
The masterplan has been shaped through extensive community engagement and dialogue with key stakeholders. A new secondary school is proposed in the first phase, ensuring early delivery of critical community infrastructure. A long-term stewardship model has been embedded from the outset to maintain and manage public open space, securing the town’s future as a thriving, nature-positive place to live.
Gillespies has delivered landscape design, outline planning, engagement support and the preparation of a design code.
Project details
Title
Chalgrove Airfield
Client
Homes England
Status
Ongoing
Project team
Gillespies, New Masterplanning, Arcadis, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, PJA, Quod, Pillory Barn
Gillespies team
Sheena Bell
