Overview
Oxfordshire Railfreight Limited (ORL) is proposing a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) on land located adjacent to the Chiltern Main Line Railway line, south west of Junction 10 of the M40 motorway, and east of the former Upper Heyford Air Base. The site location is shown below, with further details on the Location page of this website.
An SRFI is a large multi-purpose freight interchange and distribution centre linked into both the rail and trunk road systems. It has rail-served warehousing and container handling facilities, and enables freight to be transferred between transport modes (i.e. from lorry to train and vice versa).
The vision for the draft proposals is to provide a new, high-quality rail freight interchange which supports a more sustainable economy, and creates an attractive working environment. Responsible Development is a guiding principle for the proposals which includes a significant investment in new ‘green infrastructure’ and tree planting, with around 50% of the Main Site proposed as landscaping or green uses, incorporating areas specifically designed to delivering biodiversity net gain. More details are provided on the Proposal page of this website.
The proposals respond to the recognised need to create a network of SRFIs throughout the country as part of the Government’s ambition for more freight to be moved by rail to help create a low carbon sustainable transport system. Government policy for SRFIs is set out in the National Networks National Policy Statement (referred to as ‘the NPS’).
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The proposals are defined by Government as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) – see below, and The Process page of this website.
The transfer of freight from road to rail has a significant role to play in a low carbon economy, helping to address climate change, while also contributing to Oxfordshire’s economic growth particularly as OxSRFI sits at the heart of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor. This substantial private sector investment will create significant new employment opportunities alongside a range of other benefits.
This website forms part of the process of community engagement by ORL, and contains a range of information about the proposals, including details of our formal (statutory, Stage 2) public consultation being held between September – November 2025.
If approved, the site would be developed by Mountpark, a leading developer with a proven track record in delivering high quality logistics developments across the UK/Ireland and Europe (Mountpark’s website provides further details).
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP)
An SRFI allows rail to undertake the long-haul primary trunk journey, with other modes (usually road) providing the secondary, and often final, delivery leg of the journey.
Given its strategic importance, the proposals meet the criteria to be considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). As such, the proposals require an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) which would be submitted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate who will process the application. The Secretary of State for Transport would then consider the Inspector’s recommendation and determine the application. More details about the process are set out on The Process page of this website.
To obtain further details about the NSIP process, and to register for updates from the Planning Inspectorate as the scheme and application moves through the various stages of the process, you can find information on the National Infrastructure Planning website here.
Consultation – Stage 1 background (2022), and Stage 2 (2025)
ORL undertook a first stage of public consultation in 2022 (referred to as the ‘Stage 1’ consultation). Following that Stage 1 consultation a scheme review was undertaken, including a review of comments received during the consultation.
Since Stage 1 the proposals have evolved, and the technical and environmental assessment (EIA) work has progressed. That work is ongoing but updated information will form part of the Stage 2 statutory consultation which begins on 23rd September 2025. Further details are provided on the Community Engagement, and the Documents page of this website will be updated for the start of the Stage 2 consultation process.
A Programme Document which summarises the proposals, process, and timings of key steps to be taken during the Pre-application stage of the OxSRFI project is available to view here.
Submission of the DCO application is planned for Q1 2026.
If you have any questions, please take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions provided on this website.
Also, please see the contact page which includes an email address, and a comments form to fill in as part of the Statutory Consultation process.
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