One of the UK’s biggest villages is set to become a new town – but local residents aren’t happy about it

Residents of one of the UK’s largest villages have been left unhappy after the local district council voted to become a town.

The row has divided the 14,000 residents of Kidlington, in the foothills of the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire; Some said they wanted to remain ‘peasants’.

Other residents worry the changes will lead to an increase in council tax and result in much more local money being spent on bureaucracy such as councillors.

But there are supporters of the plan who point to changes to the Government’s planning rules last year; This means that the green belt lands around the towns are now more protected.

Meanwhile, green belt lands around the villages have been downgraded to gray belt status.

Government policy also means the old village will have greater police protection as a town.

Kidlington Parish Council lost a vote to become a town in 1988, but councilors voted unanimously in favor of becoming a town at a meeting on Thursday, February 19.

Citizens who opposed the change said that the district name ‘will not provide any advantage’.

Gloria Mundy (pictured), 72, said: ‘I’ve been here since 1975 and it’s always been a village and has a village feel. ‘I don’t see any advantage in calling this a town right now.’

Tony Lewis, 81, said: ‘This is a bad move because we had the privilege of being the biggest village in England.

‘We are just another small town now. The other thing is, once you become a town, people will want a mayor and a city council, more councilors will be loaded and rates will go up like crazy.

The retiree, who has lived in Kidlington for 38 years, claimed becoming a town would lead to ‘a lot more money’ being spent for ‘the privilege of being something completely unnecessary’.

‘I believe the money should be allocated to other things like potholes. “The roads are in the worst condition I have ever seen,” he added.

Kidlington’s population stood at 13,600 in 2021, but this number will increase significantly due to developments planned there.

Pensioner Gloria Mundy, 72, who opposed the move, said: ‘I’ve been here since 1975 and it’s always been a village and has a village feel. I don’t see any advantage at the moment in calling it a town.’

Ms Munday added that she would prefer to remain a village as there was ‘more of a community feel’.

He said: ‘A town seems to me to be something it is not. I don’t know what it means to be a town.

‘In my experience, I have very little faith when I am told such things because it never comes to fruition.

Tony Lewis (pictured), 81, said the idea was “a bad move because we have the privilege of being the biggest village in England”

Aerial view of Kidlington. Citizens who oppose the plan are concerned the changes will lead to an increase in council tax. However, supporters of the plan state that the green belt lands around the towns are now more protected.

‘I can’t see it developing as a town.’

Pensioner Peter Talboys, 86, said: ‘My concern is why so much money is being spent on this town thing when we could be fixing potholes and fly-tipping?’

‘We assume there will be no differences.

‘The problem with Kidlington is that it’s just charity shops, barbers and manicurists; There are no real shops that would work.

‘Whether town status will bring back the nice shops is unlikely but we’ll never know.’

Janet O’Brien said: ‘I think it should remain a village; We have enough large and populous towns here, nothing more.’

Local resident Jacquie Hobbs said: ‘This has always been a village and this is our village; all the people who grew up here and know it that way.’

However, this move was welcomed by many citizens.

Pensioner Peter Talboys (pictured), 86, said: ‘Whether town status will bring back nice shops is unlikely but we’ll never know.’

Alex Babic, 54, said: ‘People who were born and raised here might not like the idea of ​​it changing because no one likes things to change but things go on.

‘The population is much larger now than it was, for example, 20 years ago and the infrastructure needs to be able to support this and as a result it cannot remain a village forever.

‘I think it would be helpful if Kidlington residents were allowed to have their own say in this matter. and I don’t think it’s ever been done.

Lifelong resident Robert Allen, 49, said he had no “sentimental attachment” to Kidlington giving up its village status.

He continued: ‘We were the biggest village in Europe, what did this actually lead to? As a result, it did not become a tourist destination.

‘If Kidlington becomes a suburb of Oxford and that improves the general standard of Kidlington, there’s more money for policing, improving roads and some parks, then I’m very happy about that.

‘You wake up and you’re still living in Kidlington. It was always a big village but now it might be a small town, you know? ‘I don’t think this will affect anyone’s daily life.’

Kidlington would be more defensible against ‘land grabs’ if it became a town and would prevent it from being incorporated into Oxford, councilors have said.

Oxford City Council Leader Susan Brown welcomed Kidlington’s decision to become a town.

Lifelong resident Robert Allen (pictured), 49, said he had no ’emotional attachment’ to Kidlington giving up its village status. We were the largest village in Europe, what did this actually lead to? As a result, it did not become a tourist destination.’

He said: ‘As the district council has said, this will help unlock significant new funding streams to support Kidlington residents and businesses.’

He added that under plans for an expanded Greater Oxford council, Kidlington Borough Council would have a ‘louder voice’ and play a key role in governance at ward level.

Councilor Melanie Moorhouse said the move would provide the Oxfordshire community with significant extra protections to control planning and decisions.

He told the BBC: ‘We can give Kidlington this protection by changing our situation. I want to emphasize that this doesn’t mean anyone should start calling it a town; “People can still say they are going to the village,” he said.

‘Our hope is that this will not change our community; It will actually secure our community identity.’

He added: ‘The reason this conversation came about was to protect our greenbelt and allow the town to have more police control.

‘What citizens told us was that they did not want Kidlington to become a suburb of Oxford. ‘This is us as a council trying to look after Kidlington’s best interests.’

Liberal Democrat MP Calum Miller, who represents Bicester and Woodstock, said he respected the outcome and supported Kidlington’s decision to become a town.

He added: ‘We are in a period of rapid change in Oxfordshire, with huge growth pressures and local government restructuring on the horizon.

‘In this context it is entirely logical that communities want a stronger voice and clearer representation.

‘Kidlington Parish Council conducted an extensive and transparent consultation, with extensive resident involvement and a clear recognition of Kidlington’s history and identity.

‘Town status will help Kidlington speak for itself, retain its distinct place in Oxfordshire, and ensure that decisions about its future are shaped by local people, not locals.’

Green councilor Ian Middleton, who represents Kidlington on the ward, district and borough council, said: ‘I think one of the reasons Kidlington is taking this step now is that it makes the town more defensible against any land grabs by Greater Oxford.

‘We’re a town unto ourselves now, and that gives us a stronger position rather than being absorbed into this one monolithic city.’