Build – or sell up and get out!

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It is now exactly a year since the Jericho Wharf Trust launched campaign for a compulsory purchase order (CPO), and our petition now has over 2,000 signatures. The City Council has acknowledged that a CPO is possible, though they have expressed concerns about potential cost and risk. In fact most CPOs are successful and the costs can mostly be recouped by working with a responsible developer.

A major concern has been that Cheer Team, the Hong Kong-based landowner, might respond with a new scheme. In November 2025, Cheer Team finally conceded they had no new scheme. Instead, they have tried (unsuccessfully) to sell the site to new investors in Asia, setting the price unrealistically high— trying to recoup what they’d overspent and advertising ambitious, speculative profits. These could only be achieved by disregarding Oxford’s planning policies and replacing community assets with high-density student flats.

We must ensure that the community is not sold out again. After 25 years, it is time to break this cycle. The Council should work with a principled developer to secure the site, delivering much-needed community spaces, a boatyard, and housing. It’s time for a CPO.

A detailed Q&Q on the compulsory purchase proposal is available at the Jericho Wharf Trust Website.