Council celebrates Ladygrove Loop launch

Released on February 23, 2011

Ladygrove Loop map

South Oxfordshire District Council is celebrating the completion of the £395,000 Ladygrove Loop project, with a launch event on Wednesday 2 March.

Council Leader Ann Ducker will officially open the new facilities at 11am by cutting a ribbon at one of the newly renovated areas of the loop. Children from Ladygrove primary school will take part in taster sessions on the outdoor fitness stations and there will be demonstrations of Nordic walking and jogging by local activity groups.

The four kilometre loop is a continuous green walking and cycle route running through the south and central areas of the Ladygrove estate, with a variety of new facilities and enhancements. New features include:

  • An integrated walking, cycling and fitness route, with two new outside exercise stations, distance interval markers and signs;
  • Ten new seating areas and a picnic area;
  • Six acres of new wildflower meadows, 3.3 km of new hedgerows and 1,800 new trees planted;
  • Two new natural play areas and gateways at Cow Lane and Tyne Avenue;
  • Enhancements to the existing play area in Ladygrove park.

South Oxfordshire District Council Leader, Ann Ducker, said:

"I’m delighted to celebrate the launch of this wonderful project to improve the green spaces within the estate. It’s exciting to see all these new leisure facilities for local people and visitors, such as fitness trails, play areas and picnic spots, trees and wild flower meadows where once there was only grass. I think there is something for everyone to enjoy!

"We’ve carried out this project as part of our commitment to deliver the ‘Brilliant Didcot’ the community has asked us for. We will continue to work with local people to make sure Didcot becomes one of the most popular places in Oxfordshire for people to live and work.

"Didcot is benefiting from major investment, and as the town’s population is set to increase in the next two decades, we need to ensure there is enough public open space in and around the town. The Ladygrove Loop is the one of many improvements planned in the town that will put the Didcot on the map."