The Environment Agency is working with its partners to reduce flood risk in Oxford.
What is the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme?
The Environment Agency are working together with 9 organisations dedicated to reducing Oxford’s flood risk and providing wider benefits to Oxfordshire. The Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is designed to cope with floods of a major scale, to help protect the city in coming decades as flood risk increases with climate change. The scheme forms part of a wider programme to improve flood resilience being planned by the Environment Agency across the Thames Valley area.
The scheme partners are:
Environment Agency
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxford City Council
Vale of White Horse District Council
Thames Water
Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
Oxford Flood Alliance
Enterprise Oxfordshire
University of Oxford
National Highways
Oxford has a long history of flooding. A number of significant floods in past decades have caused property damage to homes and businesses and closed the railway and major roads, bringing the city to a standstill. Climate change is expected to cause more frequent and more severe floods.
In the face of increasing flood risk due to climate change, the scheme will provide a long term solution to manage flooding in Oxford. It will help protect this world-renowned city from the devastating effects of flooding, benefiting local people and everyone that works in and visits Oxford for many decades to come.
The scheme will keep Oxford open for business and allow this successful economy to continue to thrive.
The scheme will involve lowering parts of the floodplain and working on some of the existing rivers and streams that run through it to make more space for water and reduce flood risk to the city. Some areas will have new flood walls and embankments.
As well as reducing flood risk, the scheme will create over 20 hectares of new wetland habitat, which will link with existing wildlife sites and increase biodiversity.
Visit the scheme Engagement HQ page to read more about the scheme and sign up to news alerts.
Who will benefit from the scheme?
Oxford is home to around 4,950 businesses, collectively employing approximately 128,000 people and has approximately 7 million visitors every year. Everyone who lives, works in or visits the city will benefit from the reduced flood risk to the railway and the Botley and Abingdon roads. The scheme will reduce flood risk to all properties in Oxford currently at risk of flooding from the River Thames, as well as to the railway, local roads, utilities and services such as broadband. As a result, there will also be fewer flood related electricity, telephone and internet disruptions to homes and businesses. The scheme will safeguard Oxford’s reputation as a thriving city that remains open during times of flooding.
With the scheme in place, the impact of floods like those of 2007 and 2013/14, as well as much larger floods of the scale of 1947, will be far less.
How will the scheme work?
The scheme will be approximately 5km long, it will run from north of Botley Road down to south of the A423 southern by-pass where it re-joins the River Thames.
Oxford Scheme update
What stage is the project at
Full Business Case
In August 2026, the Full Business Case (FBC) was approved by HM Treasury. The FBC is an important stage in the government’s approval process for major infrastructure projects. It sets out the final case for investment, demonstrating that the scheme is deliverable, affordable and provides value for money. Approval by the Treasury confirms that the scheme has successfully met these requirements and can continue to progress towards construction.
A construction partner, Graham has been appointed to build the scheme, who bring extensive experience of delivering complex infrastructure projects.
A Local Liaison Group is being launched. This will bring together members of the local community to help keep the community informed and to get feedback.
Compulsory Purchase Order
In May 2025, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed the scheme’s Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). This means the Environment Agency now has approval to progress with purchasing the land and rights over land needed to build the scheme. The CPO brings the scheme more certainty and reduced flood risk for Oxford closer to reality.
Planning Application
In July 2024 Oxfordshire County Council’s Planning and Regulation Committee has resolved to grant planning permission for the scheme. This is subject to a legal agreement between the Environment Agency and the council, termed a Section 106 Agreement. In this case it relates to the management and monitoring of the new habitats that will be provided as part of the offsite biodiversity.
All the information relating to the planning application is available to read on the Oxfordshire County Council ePlanning system, planning reference: MW.0027/22.
A423 Kennington Railway Bridge
The Environment Agency are working closely with Oxfordshire County Council to coordinate the replacement of the A423 Kennington Railway Bridge with construction of the scheme. The bridge is crucial to the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme as floodwater from the scheme needs to pass underneath the bridge to re-join the River Thames.
Know your flood warnings!
It’s important to know what you need to do if your area is given a flood warning. Stay prepared by signing up to flood warnings and preparing a flood plan.
Flood Alert – Flooding is possible
- Prepare a bag that includes medicines and insurance documents
- Check flood warnings
Flood Warning – Flooding is expected
- Turn off gas, water and electricity
- Move things upstairs or to safety
- Move family, pets and car to safety
Severe Flood Warning – Danger to life
- Call 999 if in immediate danger
- Follow advice from emergency services
- Keep yourself and your family safe
Want to know more?
More details on the scheme can be found here: Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme | Engage Environment Agency page: This page will be updated as the scheme progresses.
You can also keep up to date in the following ways:
For current or previous editions of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme newsletter please see:
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