The frame of the new 85-bedroom hotel on the site of the old Tesco Garden Centre is underway.

Parts of the site are vulnerable to flooding. A flood-survey was done before development which says the building itself will be in flood zones 1 and 2. Part of the site area that will not be built on is flood zone 3a.

zone 1: less than 0.1% chance of flooding in any year
zone 2: 0.1% – 1% chance of flooding in any year
zone 3a: greater than 1% chance of flooding in any year
zone 3b: greater than 3.3% chance of flooding in any year

From the flood maps in the survey, it looks as if areas of the Tesco carpark, such as the area between the hotel and the filling station and access road are in zone 3b. The last widespread flooding of the Tesco Carpark and access road was probably February 2014 (pictured below).

Additional fortification has been added to the Upper Reaches Hotel to stop trespassers. There is no predicted date for when any real work will happen to use this land.

Repairs to Abingdon Bridge are now predicted for about October. The Jubilee flags are still flying as is the Ukrainian Flag from 24th August – Ukrainian Independence Day.

A brownfield site refers to previously developed land.

Ladygrove Cottage, next to Hartwells (car dealership), has been demolished and a 3-storey building is being built. It will contain four 1 bedroom and two 2 bedroom apartments and parking for 7 cars.

A few doors down, near the Caldecott Road roundabout, another house, the one that used to have two stone lions on the gateposts,  has been demolished. I have not seen plans for redevelopment yet.

The Ferry Boat Yard, off the Wilsham Road, will now have 3 new residential units consisting of one 1 bed, one 2 bed and one 3 bed house and car parking.

The Tesco Garden Centre will be a 86-bedroom hotel. It was not visible from Marcham Road but is now.

Former Primary School teacher and Abingdon Mayor Pat Hobby has a road name on The Kingsgate Estate.

The new Aldi store is progressing well but does look like a long line of grey when viewed from the Wootton Road.

Beyond the Aldi Store and new Kingsgate Estate the cycle / pedestrian way ends. No thought seems to have gone into improving this crossing – so close to the new developments. Cycles must join the road and pedestrians cross the road at a place (near Mallams) where a young man was killed, by a speeding driver, not so long ago.

Also see if you can spot the bus stop.

Here is new BUS STOP near the Abbey Fields Estate for comparison.

New turf and shrubs are being planted.at the the new Abbey Fields Estate. Sprinklers are used.

The re-channeled brook is dried up and stagnant there has been so little rain.

The developments will help pay for a full A34 junction at Lodge Hill. The last update I heard was that the full plans could be published in September.

In Botley, another place where houses are close to the A34, there is a 50 mph.