Broad Meadow works

Client: Oxford City Council

Project: Broad Meadow works

Department: Highways and Engineering

Date of completion: June 2021

Budget: £94,000

Background 

Oxford City Council’s Regeneration Manager appointed ODS to transform part of Broad Street in Oxford into ‘Broad Meadow’ – a new outdoor space containing wildflower meadows and lawns. This work has temporarily pedestrianised the western half of Broad Street and has created one of the largest civic spaces in the city centre, with wildflower meadows and lawns.

We compelted the work to transform the area in four days. The work included the installation of drop-down bollards, wooden seating and planters, made from local and recycled materials, and the repositioning of cycle racks.

Why ODS

ODS is wholly-owned by Oxford City Council and delivers many of the Council’s services on their behalf, including highways maintenance. This enables ODS to carry out a variety of services with income being put back into Oxford City Council.

Challenge

The work was carried out following the pandemic, so suppliers and resources were not always easy to come by. Alongside this, with it being a central and public space, it was important that we worked with the community on this project, such as with local businesses and groups.

Solution

The use of local suppliers aided the project. We prioritised using recycled materials and we reused pallets that previously transported vaccines and protective equipment during the pandemic. These were built into wooden seats and planters.

We worked closely with the scheme designers (LDA Design), Oxford City Council, local stakeholders, businesses, and advocacy groups to create a beautiful space for all.