Environment & Energy
Browse the latest environment & energy news, comment and stories in Oxford and across Oxfordshire.
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Graven Hill opens Gateway Park with permanent home for Pioneer Memorial
A new landscaped park has opened at Graven Hill in Bicester, creating new green space for residents while providing a permanent new home for the Pioneer Memorial honouring the area’s military heritage.
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Cross-party MPs call for stronger protection of Oxfordshire’s rare chalk streams
MPs and wildlife organisations have joined forces to call for greater legal protection for England’s rare chalk streams, including Letcombe Brook and Chalgrove Brook in Oxfordshire.
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Thames Water introduces hosepipe ban after record hot weather sends demand soaring
Thames Water has introduced a temporary hosepipe ban across its water supply area after one of the driest springs in years, record-breaking heat and unprecedented demand placed increasing pressure on water resources.
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Oxfordshire household recycling centres block traders illegally disposing of commercial waste
Oxfordshire County Council has blocked 67 users from household waste recycling centres after new booking rules helped identify suspected trade waste abuse, with the changes saving taxpayers thousands of pounds in disposal costs.
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County council calls for new government grants to help keep homes cool during heatwaves
Oxfordshire County Council is calling on ministers to introduce a new Cool Homes Grant to help vulnerable households retrofit homes at risk of overheating as heatwaves become more frequent.
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Anglian Water’s East of England hosepipe ban: could Oxfordshire face similar restrictions this summer?
Anglian Water has introduced a temporary hosepipe ban across its East of England region after weeks of hot, dry weather and record demand for water. Could similar restrictions be introduced for Thames Water customers in Oxfordshire if dry conditions continue through the summer?
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County Council to consider next step in potential Oxfordshire solar farm purchase
Oxfordshire County Council will decide whether to progress due diligence on the potential purchase of a solar farm, a move it says could generate renewable energy, reduce emissions and deliver long-term financial returns.
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Cokethorpe pupils join national Big Paddle Clean Up to restore Oxfordshire waterways
Pupils from Cokethorpe School joined canoeists and kayakers in a large-scale environmental effort as part of Paddle UK’s Big Paddle Clean Up, collecting litter across 20km of Oxfordshire waterways including the River Thames, River Windrush and Farmoor Reservoir.
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Heat-health Alerts in force as Oxford faces severe weather disruption this week
UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office Heat-health Alerts are in place until Friday 26 June at 11.00pm. Residents are being urged to take precautions with service changes, cooling centres, safety advice and disruption to waste collections and public services across the city.
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Low Carbon Hub raises over £640k for UK’s first community-owned solar battery at Ray Valley
Community energy in Oxfordshire reaches a major milestone as Low Carbon Hub exceeds its £500k target, raising over £640k for the UK’s first community-owned solar battery at Ray Valley Solar.
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Oxford spinout Caudal Energy raises £4.3m in funding to scale predictable tidal power technology
Oxford spinout Caudal Energy has secured £4.3m in funding to accelerate development of its predictable tidal power technology, with commercial deployment targeted for 2028.
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Residents urged to check water quality before swimming at Wolvercote Mill Stream this Bank Holiday
Oxford residents planning to swim or paddle at Wolvercote Mill Stream this Bank Holiday are being urged to check water quality alerts first, as the popular north Oxford bathing spot remains officially rated “poor”.
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Strong demand as first-ever community-owned solar park battery share offer hits 80% funding
A community share offer supporting the UK’s first community-owned solar energy battery has reached 80% of its £500k target, with more than £440k raised from around 200 investors ahead of its June 2026 closing date.
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Oxfordshire residents invited to shape benefits from future low-carbon energy projects
Oxfordshire councils are inviting residents and organisations to help shape a new policy on community benefits and shared ownership from future low-carbon energy projects, with a public consultation open until June 14, 2026 through the Let’s Talk Oxfordshire website.
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Evenlode Landscape Recovery secures £3m to protect Cotswold infrastructure from flooding
Evenlode Landscape Recovery has secured more than £3 million from infrastructure partners to fund nature-based flood prevention and habitat restoration across Oxfordshire and the wider Cotswolds.
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BBOWT invites people across Oxfordshire to reconnect with nature during 30 Days Wild challenge
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust is inviting people across Oxfordshire to take part in 30 Days Wild, a month-long challenge celebrating nature and wildlife throughout June.