Side road order (SRO) and compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the Didcot and surrounding area infrastructure improvements

View below all the documents relating to the orders

The Secretary of State for Transport has confirmed three legal Orders for the Didcot and surrounding area infrastructure scheme. These were confirmed on 30 June 2025, following a Public Inquiry held between February and May 2024.

  • The Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and Side Roads Order (SRO) were confirmed with modifications
  • The Bridge Scheme was confirmed as made

You can read the Inspector’s Report and the Secretary of State’s decision letters below:

Secretary of State’s Decision Letter

Annexures

The Annexures document all of the modifications that were sought to the Orders:

All affected parties have received relevant information relating to the CPO, SRO and Bridge Scheme as it impacts them, and statutory notices have been placed on site and in the local newspapers

Statutory notices

The statutory notices explain the process for bringing a challenge against the Secretary of State’s decision, which must be made within the 6 weeks from 30 July 2025.  

What the confirmed Orders allow us to do

The confirmed orders give us legal powers to:

  • change existing roads and junctions
  • build and maintain new roads and/or junctions
  • change side roads and private access to properties

The CPO allows us to buy land or property, or to create new rights over land, where needed in order to deliver the scheme.

Buying land and rights

We're working to reach private agreements with affected parties wherever possible.

If we can't reach an agreement, we now have the legal ability to use compulsory purchase powers to buy the land or other rights we need. These powers can be used until 29 July 2028.

Using the CPO is a last resort, wherever possible. We are continuing to negotiate with affected parties and other key stakeholders.

Confirmed Modified Compulsory Purchase Order and plans (CPO)

Public Inquiry

Following the conjoined planning and Orders (compulsory purchase order, side roads order, and bridge scheme) Public Inquiry between February and May 2024, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government granted planning approval for the scheme in December 2024.

The Secretary of State for Transport confirmed the Orders in June 2025. 

Recordings of the sessions and core documents relating to the Inquiry can be found on the official Inquiry portal.

Contact us

If you have any queries, please contact the delivery team

Accessibility

Some of the documents on this page may not be accessible. Contact the delivery team for an alternative format.