CFO is delighted to have been selected by Cherwell District Council to undertake a major research study at a large development site at North-West Bicester. Hundreds of new homes are being built over the next few years and the Council wants to explore how community buildings, green and open spaces, and other new assets might be managed by a local organisation. CFO has put together a team of experts from our Community-led Stewardship Support Service to undertake the study.

Long-term stewardship is much different than ‘simply cutting the grass’. A grassroots approach to managing assets can support and release the skills, experiences and energy of citizens and inspire projects that reflect what local people want and need. The possibilities are endless: green space management plans, nature recovery and biodiversity initiatives, volunteering strategies, local food initiatives, links to schools and business, skills development, cultural and historical celebrations, climate action… For CFO, this kind of stewardship is the most genuine and inspiring form of placemaking out there.

Over the next few months, CFO will be talking to the community, developers, Local Authorities and others to investigate what’s possible at NW Bicester, build knowledge, explore local interest in getting involved with a stewardship project, and set out a road map for next steps.