In spring 2022 South Stoke Parish Council invited proposals for the development of The Park, a 1 hectare site in the centre of the village which is leased to the PC for 999 years.

South Stoke Wildlife & Conservation Group decided to make a proposal for a community garden. We did some research into ways of improving biodiversity, giving greater public access to green space and the production of organic food. We looked at several good examples and copied what we thought was the best and produced a “Final Target design.”

​

This included a community orchard with a new footpath across the whole site, wildflower areas, a pond, allotments, a community growing space, an area for the school, shed, polytunnel and compost bays, and a solar powered borehole.

We were delighted that our proposal was well received by the community, and after a further public consultation the Parish Council decided to adopt our site design, albeit with a few amendments.

​

The Parish Council received almost £100,000 in grants (from Mend the Gap in March 2023 and Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment in May 2023).

​

The Parish Council appointed a Project Manager in September 2023 and gained Planning Consent for the development in December 2023.

​

An orchard of 60 fruit trees was planted by volunteers in December 2023, and hedging and some of the screening planting was provided by SSWCG.

​

A Community Garden Association (CGA) was established to represent the gardening community and they have started clearing ground in the growing area. Several allotments are now (June 2024) producing their first crops.

​

The Parish Council are responsible for completing the infrastructure works and we look forward to seeing these grant-funded works commencing on site.