Billionaire Backs Villagers Against 'XXL Mega-Sheds' in Oxfordshire Countryside

A prominent Saudi billionaire landowner has aligned with villagers in a significant opposition to plans that could see approximately six million square feet of warehouse space developed on Oxfordshire countryside.

Wafic Said, an 86-year-old Syrian-born business leader and former Conservative donor, is supporting formal opposition to the proposed construction of 13 'XXL' warehouses near Stoke Lyne, adjacent to the M40 motorway.

Said, whose Tusmore Park estate is located near the proposed development site, has partnered with the Stoke Lyne Parish Council to challenge the schemes at a public inquiry. The plans are being put forward by logistics giants Tritax Big Box and Albion Land, who are appealing to the Planning Inspectorate to overturn Cherwell District Council's earlier refusal to grant permission for development at Baynards Green.

The council, which is run by the Liberal Democrats and Greens, narrowly rejected the warehouse proposals in January. However, the council has reportedly been stripped of its authority to decide large-scale applications due to a pattern of refusals being overturned on appeal, and its deputy leader indicated a low likelihood of successfully defending the decision at the appeal stage.

Lawyers representing the villagers and Tusmore Park launched a strong critique of the proposals. Barrister James Maurici stated that the proposed buildings could reach up to 25 meters (approximately 82 feet) in height, making them visible from up to 2 kilometers away and equivalent to stacking more than five double-decker buses. The development would encompass 570,000 square meters of logistics space on 150 hectares of greenfield land, with a combined footprint extending over 1.4 kilometers north to south and 2.2 kilometers east to west, an area comparable to about 45 football pitches.

Maurici described Baynards Green as an 'attractive and sensitive' area, home to several priority and protected species, concluding that it is 'simply not the right place for development of this kind.' He also noted that while the government supports growth, it is not an agenda of 'any development anywhere at any cost.'

Residents of Stoke Lyne have organized as the Stoke Lyne Action Team, raising tens of thousands of pounds to fund their legal defense after the Cherwell District Council's decision to back down from defending its refusal.

Conversely, lawyers for Tritax and Albion Land contend that the developments would generate thousands of jobs and contribute up to £410 million annually to the local economy. Firms such as GXO, DHL, and a 'FTSE 100 retailer' are reportedly considering the site.

Lord Charles Banner, KC, representing Tritax, acknowledged that major logistics developments are 'bound to cause some environmental harms,' but argued that these are often accepted in national policy if the siting and design mitigate the effects. He emphasized the national interest in delivering new logistics development and stated it should not be deterred by minor environmental harm.

Giles Cannock KC, for Albion Land, highlighted the exceptional circumstances of the location adjacent to junction 10 of the M40.

The public inquiry into the controversial plans is expected to continue until the end of October.

Wafic Said, who was a significant donor to Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party in the 1980s and played a role in the al-Yamamah arms deal between the UK and Saudi Arabia, holds Syrian, Saudi, and Canadian citizenship and is a permanent resident of Monaco. He has accused Cherwell Council of having 'capitulated to developers.' Local university student Bertie Buckle expressed concerns that the development would create an 'eyesore that would break the charm of the community.'