South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils building plans unveiled

Plans for a new headquarters for two councils whose offices were destroyed in an arson attack have been unveiled.

South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) and Vale of White Horse District Council are set to move into a new building in Didcot.

Their previous shared office in Crowmarsh Gifford was destroyed in 2015 when a car carrying gas cannisters was driven into the building.

Residents can comment on the plans online until the end of August.

About 400 people were based at the previous building, which Andrew Main set ablaze, as well as damaging two other buildings.

The two authorities shared temporary accommodation in Milton Park following the fire.

Councillor Andrea Powell, who is responsible for the new building project, which will form part of the planned Didcot Gateway site, said the way staff worked had "changed dramatically" following the pandemic.

She added the plans addressed those changes to meet their needs "while also helping to regenerate the local Didcot community".

The comments will be presented when the application is considered by a planning committee at a public meeting.

Homes England owns a large section of the site and has previously submitted a planning application for 144 residential dwellings.

Previously, the councils were planning to build their new offices at the location of the destroyed site.

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