Background

Houses in the villages of Appleton and Eaton are in great demand. This is because of their position on high ground above but close to the River Thames, within easy reach of the City of Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot Railway Station. Both villages, despite the proximity to Oxford and Abingdon, have retained their village character. The villages, particularly Appleton, are economically geared to Abingdon: for example Doctors, Dentists, Shopping, Education, Post, Police, etc.

Appleton

Apart from the building of council houses in the 1950s, development in Appleton has been very gradual. From the Manor House built in 1180, and other older properties, up until 1971 the major activity had been the building of individual houses along the Eaton and Netherton Roads. Then, in 1971, there were two changes that completely altered the appearance of the centre of the village. Firstly, on the corner of Park Lane and Eaton Road, the old bakery, which had fallen into disrepair and become derelict, was demolished and replaced by two houses. Secondly, and in the same year, 1971, the houses in Southby Close were built.

In 1976 five houses were built in Badswell Lane on the site of an old orchard (aptly named ‘The Orchard’). The next major development in 1977 was that of the building of houses in Whites Forge, which included the conversion of the barn - which had previously been on the site of the village petrol station. Badswell Lane was further developed in 1983 when a further six houses were built adjacent to the road that leads to the Lock.

The next significant development was the building of 28 houses in Fettiplace Close in 1988. The significance was not only the size of the development, but also the fact that, up to that point, there were few, if any, houses that met the ever-increasing demand for homes for first time buyers and local young people who required affordable accommodation in the village in which they had been born. Fettiplace Close went some way to redressing the balance, providing a mixture of some larger houses with three to four bedrooms and some two-bedroom terrace-type homes.

Horseshoe Close, a development of seven low-cost houses, was built in 1999. Because of the boggy ground, deep piles have been driven into the ground. The first occupants of the houses all had village connections – either family or work related.

Further large-scale development in Appleton is impossible because the Green Belt surrounds the village, although a few new individual houses have been built since 1988.

Eaton

The village of Eaton, also with a history that dates back to the twelfth century, comprises 23 houses. Although there has been no single major development since the building of the council houses in 1948-49, and the farm workers cottages in 1954-55, several houses have been extended, notably Hunters Moon, By the Way and Old Bye’s Farm. Between the village and Bablockhythe a new large house has been built, known as Long Meadow.

Appraisal Questionnaire Results (Appleton-with-Eaton)

Of the 196 people who completed the Housing section in the Questionnaire, 88% are owner-occupiers with the balance living in private or District Council rented accommodation. 39% of those responding have lived in the Parish for more than 16 years. 25 people responded that they had moved from Appleton or Eaton because of the lack of suitable housing.

The Parish Council and Housing

For nine years the Appleton-with-Eaton Parish Council campaigned vigorously to obtain starter-homes for young people and smaller homes for the elderly. Neither village had sheltered accommodation for the elderly nor low cost housing for those who have strong connections with the villages and cannot afford the commercial prices. A history of the Parish Council’s efforts is recorded see Low Cost Housing

Work commenced in January 1999 and seven low-cost houses were built. Because of the boggy ground, deep piles have been driven into the ground. The first occupants of the houses all had village connections – either family or work related.