Infrastructure Delivered to Date
To date Dorchester has paid over £64million, including S106 contributions, infrastructure, remediation, and additional contributions above legal obligations.
This equates to over £53,000 per new build property (this is double the legally obligated amount).
Dorchester Living has funded over £16m towards education through the provision of land / buildings including the refurbishment of the Officers Mess' and Sports Centre.
Infrastructure & Remediation | Paid to Date |
|---|---|
Remediation | circa £5 million |
Drainage | circa £6 million |
S106 Contributions | Paid to Date |
|---|---|
Community | circa £1 million |
Heritage | circa £1.7 million |
Open Space & Play Areas | circa £1.3 million |
Bus Contributions | circa £1.85 million |
Highway Improvements | circa £10 million |
Education | circa £16.7 million |
Over and above legal obligations | Paid to Date |
|---|---|
Chapel | circa £500k |
Highstreet and The Heyford | circa £20 million |
Heyford Park School
When consultation identified the need for a new school at Heyford Park, we worked with the community and government partners to establish Heyford Park Free School — delivering it before a single new home was occupied. By listening to local people and recognising the importance of early education provision, we ensured vital community infrastructure was in place from the very start. Local people wanted a small and inclusive school where students were treated as individuals and where the curriculum was designed to cater for employment and skills needs in the future.
In doing so, we became the first developer authorised to run a Free School, demonstrating our commitment to creating sustainable communities shaped by local needs. Our CEO also chaired the Board of Governors for eight years, working alongside community and business representatives to help guide the school’s development and long-term success including placement opportunities for students in local businesses.
Dorchester Living has paid £16.7 million in education contributions to date, which was spent refurbishing the existing Officers Mess' on site and the sports centre, both buildings were in a poor condition but represented a great opportunity to create vibrant education spaces. The provision of on site indoor sports, which was a condition of our involvement would otherwise have been demolished and delivered off site in Bicester and, in addition a joint use agreement was entered into with consent of National and Local Government, so the community could use those facilities on site outside of school operating hours.
The Heyford High Street
the heyford, baton and 455
Dorchester has invested more than £20 million into Heyford Park High Street, significantly beyond its legal obligations, reflecting a long-term commitment to creating a thriving community destination. The building was built during COVID, and as a business we took substantial risk in delivering the build for use of the community even though we could not know when it could safely open to the public due to national restrictions.
Dorchester does not charge rent to Heyford Leisure Limited, which operates The Heyford, and additionally subsidises the hotel by approximately £500,000 each year to support its continued operation and community use.
Like many businesses across the hospitality sector, the restaurant industry is facing significant national challenges, including rising operating costs, particularly increased energy and staffing costs. While we are reviewing potential cost-saving measures, our intention is to keep either 455 or Baton open as part of the High Street offer.
Over the years, we have trialled a range of initiatives to encourage greater use of the facilities and have consistently supported the facility to ensure it remains an asset for the Heyford Park community. This includes providing varied activities such as music, comedy and quiz nights, open days with children’s activities at Easter and summer all heavily subsidised by Dorchester. We have surveyed the community regularly and improved menus and general offering and have had great feedback on Baton and the hotel. We are always open to ways to improve this service.
The rest of the High Street, often absent in many new developments in the UK, has been built and let with the community in mind. The offering has had to move from less retail and more leisure facilities to make it work best and we have heavily subsidised rents and in some cases not charged rent to occupiers for long periods for them to build custom and also encouraged local residents which a lot of success to set up businesses in these units to help the community flourish.
We are immensely proud of the high street which includes a supermarket, hairdresser, gym, pilates studio, dentist and pharmacy (with GP consultation rooms). Please do support these local businesses, we know there is huge benefit from having the convenience of them on your doorstep.
THE HEYFORD AND TOWN CENTRE GENERALLY IS NOT A PROFIT CENTRE, BUT INSTEAD HAS BEEN HEAVILY SUBSIDISED BY DORCHESTER LIVING TO KEEP IT OPEN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
the high street
We are proud to support the local businesses that call Heyford Park home, providing a range of assistance to help create a vibrant and sustainable community.
The High Street has been recognised across the industry as an exemplar of successful placemaking, including being featured as a case study in the report below prepared by Homes England.
Pump Track
Community engagement remains central to our approach to placemaking. Following a consultation run through the Parish we identified that there was a need for more activities for local teenagers, we therefore revised plans for Phase 9, replacing a proposed tennis court with a new pump track in direct response to resident feedback. This decision reflects our ongoing commitment to listening to the community and ensuring that the amenities we deliver align with the interests and aspirations of those who live here. The introduction of the pump track responds to a clear desire for a more dynamic and inclusive recreational space for young people.
The track has been designed and constructed by Clark & Kent, the renowned specialists behind the 2012 Olympic BMX track. Featuring a thoughtfully designed series of rollers and banked turns, the facility provides a high-quality riding experience suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities.
