Culham Science Village

A community for future generations, Culham Science Village comprises a mixture of brownfield and greenfield land adjacent to Culham Science Centre, an internationally-recognised centre for fusion research and development and home to a community of related businesses. 

Culham Railway Station, located within the heart of the village, will be upgraded to form a multi-modal interchange for the site and the neighbouring Science Centre offering excellent rail connections and a variety of active and sustainable transport choices to all. 

Cycling and walking as primary modes of active travel connecting people with the multi-modal hub and on site facilities and provide direct links to Culham Science Centre and the nearby settlements of Abingdon, Didcot, Oxford and Berinsfield.

Culham Science Village will be a modern garden village formed of smaller compact neighbourhoods each providing community facilities such as car clubs, grow zones, work hubs, neighbourhood play and crèches. It will deliver new homes and employment opportunities, as well as significant social and environmental benefits in the form of a well-designed, self-sufficient 21st Century settlement. 

The new community is proposed to be set within and amongst an expansive network of multi-functional and characterful green infrastructure to fulfil the well-being and lifestyle requirements of future generations to come encouraging active and healthy lives and an inclusive sense of community.

In tandem with spatial masterplanning decisions, the proposals have been formulated to facilitate the activities of a neighbourhood trust that will connect, involve and empower all residents. Innovation will be an integral aspect of the activities of the neighbourhood trust, with for example, testing of community car clubs and connected autonomous shuttles to facilitate a gradual decrease in car usage and parking provision.

The associated green infrastructure strategy for Culham Science Village will enhance the biodiversity of the local area as well as providing the opportunity for multi-functional public realm that enhances the health and well-being of new residents and visitors. The open space network has been designed to provide direct access to the wider countryside for recreation.

An extensive network of green infrastructure is proposed including play spaces and access to high quality sports facilities. An environment that empowers social cohesion, community involvement and every day health and wellbeing was a key design principle and a net biodiversity gain will be achieved facilitated by woodland creation, wet and dry meadow grassland habitats and a strong emphasis on native planting.