This page will update you on the plans and progress for the electricity network upgrades for our village. Updates will be notified by the Parish Council email subscription.

2nd October 2023
Durkin (SSEN contractors) are completing their first phase of work in the village which requires temporary road closures. These closures are agreed between Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and SSEN; what UHPC are doing, in liaison with Durkin, is keeping residents informed and trying to minimise disruption wherever possible. The following information relates to road closures on the High Street and School Lane –

  • Monday 09/10 to Thursday 12/10 from Treeside on the High Street to the junction with School Lane (road closure due to road width and the roots of the lime trees). School Lane can continue to be accessed from Mill Lane and coming up the High Street. Refuse collection on Wednesday 11/10 for affected residents on the High Street will take place either side of the road closure.
  • Friday 13/10 to Friday 20/10 School Lane to The Green (road closure due to road width). OCC have agreed a closure of 12 days (13/10 to 24/10). Durkin will endeavour to reopen School Lane for the weekend of 14/10 and 15/10, but it will close again from Monday 16/10; the road should then fully reopen on Saturday 21/10. Refuse collection on Wednesday 18/10 for affected residents of School Lane and The Green will be from the High Street; if residents need help with moving their bins to The High Street, please speak to the Durkin team working on School Lane on Tuesday 17/10

When roads are closed, residents are asked to use alternative parking nearby or at the Village Hall car park from the day preceding the work commencing. If residents have vehicle access needs or any further information or help is required, please call in to see Peter Kalis at the Durkin site office on Camp Road.

UHPC have arranged for letters to be delivered to affected households this week. Residents’ understanding and support during these essential works will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

18th September 2023

Please see below some updated information on the planned road closures in the village, as part of the SSEN works.

In order to reduce the amount of time that School Lane will be closed (currently scheduled to start on Friday 13/10), Durkin will be starting work from this Wednesday (20/09) from The Green to Manor Farm high voltage pole. This work will have no impact on vehicle access along School Lane or on the parking area by the Reading Room. Pedestrian access to the church will not be affected.

The planned work on Somerton Road (25/09 to 29/09) and top of the High Street (02/10 to 06/10) is on schedule and letters have been delivered to the affected properties. As previously requested, if you use on street parking, please find an alternative location for your car such as the Village Hall car park from the night preceding the work. Traffic lights will be in operation and the roads will stay open.

Thank you once again for your cooperation during this work and please see Peter Kalis at the Camp Road site office if you have any questions



9th September 2023

Please see an update below with details of parking suspensions and road closures.

Durkin (the SSEN contractor) will attempt to keep roads and drive access open whilst maintaining safe working. Traffic lights will be in operation where there are partial road closures. The schedule is as follows –

  • Monday 25/09 to Friday 29/09 from the allotment gate, along Somerton Road to The High Street (on street car parking is suspended but roads will stay open).
  • Monday 02/10 to Thursday 12/10 High Street to School Lane (on street car parking is suspended but roads will stay open).
  • Friday 13/10 to Tuesday 24/10 bottom of High Street to School Lane to The Green and on to the Manor Farm high voltage pole (complete road closure from the High Street junction onwards due to road width). Refuse collection on Wednesday 18/10 will be from the High Street; if the  effected residents need help with moving their bins please speak to the Durkin team on the Tuesday.

Where parking is either suspended or the road is closed, residents are asked to use alternative parking (nearby or at the Village Hall car park) from the day preceding the work. If any further information or help is required, call in to see Peter Kalis at the site office on Camp Road. Residents’ understanding and support during these works will be very much appreciated.


24th August 2023
The SSEN contractors (Durkin) will be establishing their site office on the field between Upper Heyford and Heyford Park this coming Tuesday (29th August). No disruption (access, noise etc) is expected from the use of this site. Durkin’s schedule of work lasts from Tuesday 29 August (site set up) to Monday 27 November. This is the first phase (the groundwork phase) of a project that will last up to a year.

Durkin will endeavour to minimise disruption to residents. Road closures will be avoided wherever possible with traffic light controls used in a number of locations in Lower and Upper Heyford to maintain vehicle access.


The provisional schedule of works to link the two incoming high voltage sources and the transformers in Upper Heyford are –

  • Monday 18/09 to Friday 22/09 the allotment grounds 
  • Monday 25/09 to Friday 29/09 from the allotment gate, along Somerton Road to The High Street (on street car parking likely to be suspended)
  • Monday 02/10 to Thursday 12/10 High Street to School Lane (on street car parking likely to be suspended) 
  • Friday 13/10 to Tuesday 24/10 School Lane to The Green and on to Manor Farm high voltage pole (probable road closure)

If on street car parking needs to be suspended it will be because the road width is only sufficient for the ground work team whilst maintaining vehicle access. In these cases where on street parking is suspended, residents who are unable to use their own off street parking, will be able to use the village hall car park facilities for the duration.
One probable road closure (due to road width) is the bottom of the High Street, into School Lane and on to The Green. More details about this work and vehicle access to the properties effected will be provided in writing to residents in September. Temporary alternative access (from The Green down to the church) is being assessed by UHPC and Durkin.

No disruption to electricity supply is expected in this phase of work.

The scale and complexity of this project can be seen from the ATTACHED PLAN. Residents’ understanding and support during the work will be very much appreciated.