PLANS for an island theatre and new footbridge in Abingdon appear to have been scrapped.

Vale of White Horse District Council said project group Isis, which wanted to build on Nag’s Head Island, had ditched the idea.

Vale councillor Richard Webber, who came up with the proposal, said it was unlikely anything would be built on the island.

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Mr Webber, also a member of the Isis project board, said: “The project as envisaged has not been scrapped, but it has been changed greatly.

“It is unlikely anything will go ahead in that place.

“I do not wish to comment further at the moment.”

Plans were announced in March for a 33-metre pedestrian bridge built from the Old Gaol to a 350-seat open-air theatre on Nag’s Head Island.

It was to be funded by £600,000 in grants from groups like the National Lottery and £150,000 from residents.

Vale spokeswoman Natalie Ellis said: “The council was approached early last year by a community interest company called Isis that wanted to develop some of the island for an open-air theatre and other community facilities in parallel with the redevelopment of the existing chandlery (boatyard).

“The council was broadly supportive of its aims and gave it until the end of September to bring forward more detailed proposals, which did not materialise.

“Subsequently, it informed the council that it was not proceeding.”

Isis board member Geoff Ward said: “I am still quite keen for it to go ahead.

“I thought it was a good scheme that would reclaim the land for the people of Abingdon.

“It would create more activity and it would make something special.

“I am completely in the dark. As I see it, there seems to be no next stage.”

The project would have required planning permission from the district council, but an application was never submitted.

Mr Ward said: “If you go to a public launch and make a statement then walk away without too much of a fight, I think that is pretty poor, especially not going back to the public and explaining.”

Cholsey’s Norman Guiver, 65, worked as voluntary project manager until stepping down in August because he said there were tensions with members.

He said: “There is no reason I received about why it has been scrapped.

“It is sat waiting to happen.

“All the design work has been done.

“This was another one of those schemes that would benefit the community and get a lot of people involved.

“It should go ahead. The current footbridge is too narrow and in the summer it is a nightmare.”

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