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Reactions of Local Councillors to
the "Penbridge"
proposal
An update on
the latest position of the Vale of the White Horse District council
and the objections to the local plan by Mr Wilcox can be read here
District Cllr Tessa Ward writes:
The Vale of White Horse District Council has already asserted clearly
its
intention to safeguard the Green Belt areas in the Vale. The most
major
housing development in the Vale for several years ahead is on an
old
airfield at Grove, which is not on Green Belt land.
The Vale needs to find sites for 6,750 houses between 2001 and
2016. It has
already identified sites, in line with the current Oxfordshire Structure
Plan to 2011, for 4317 homes. So for the draft structure plan to
2016 it
needs to find sites for another 2,443, of which 2,100 are earmarked
for
Grove.
At the Vale Council meeting on Wednesday, October 22, I proposed
the
following motion which was seconded by the other District Councillor
in the
Sunningwell and Wootton ward, Cllr Chris Wise:
'that this council strongly supports the Green Belt policy contained
within
its existing and emerging Local Plan, designed to safeguard Green
Belt areas
in the Vale for the benefit of all Vale residents living in the
towns,
villages and the countryside, and in the case of the Oxford Green
Belt, for
the benefit of Oxford City residents too.'.
I believe this motion was supported unanimously by councillors
at the
meeting. A similar motion, put forward by Conservative Councillor,
Terry
Cox, and seconded by Conservative Councillor, Monica Lovatt, was
also well
supported:
'that this council vigorously protects the Oxford Green Belt within
its
District boundary from housing development and will, in its response
to the
County Council on the Structure Plan, object to any policy that
proposes
housing developments in the Oxford Green Belt'.
When I spoke to my motion I said:
"As soon as the news broke recently about a Sunningwell farmer
wanting to
develop his land in the Green Belt, with a new 'village' of at least
2000
houses, numerous people began to approach Cllr Chris Wise, County
Cllr Bob
Johnston and me for our thoughts about such a prospect.
"So now is an ideal opportunity to ask the Vale of White Horse
District
Council to give a strong clear message, for ALL to hear and read,
that this
council regards the safeguarding of its Green Belt areas as one
of its top
priorities.
"Residents in the Vale and Oxford have for many years reaped
considerable
benefits, some of them immeasurable, from the Vale's Green Belt
policy
adhered to year after year.
" I urge the council not to waive from its vital role here,
in spite of what
may be happening elsewhere in the county and with the Oxfordshire
County
Council.
"Let us not also, for reasons of short term political expediency,
begin to
undermine such a sound policy that has worked so well for so long
and for
the benefit of so many people."
Before the November 7, 03 deadline for representations to the draft
Structure Plan, the Vale submitted a strong objection to the release
of land
south of Grenoble Road in the South Oxfordshire District pointing
out that
such a release would make it difficult to oppose other releases
in the Green
Belt. The Vale also opposed a proposal to build on Green Belt land
around
Berensfield.
The Wilcox family have lodged an objection to the Vale's Local
Plan that is
not very detailed. It is hoped that this objection, and others to
the Local
Plan, will come before the Vale's Executive Committee around March
next year
for consideration.'
Update
March 7th 02004
The Vale of
White Horse District Council has confirmed that there is to be a
joint meeting of the Development Control Committee and the Executive
on
Wednesday, March 17 at 6.30pm at The Guildhall in Abingdon.
The purpose
of this meeting is to receive a presentation from the Local Plan
officers on behalf of the Advisory Group (SLAG).
On completion
of this joint meeting, the Development Control Committee will
meet to consider the Advisory Group's recommendations and to make
recommendations to the Executive.
A member of
the public can address this Development Control Committee
meeting for a maximum of five minutes. If you want to speak please
contact
the committee clerk, Steve Culliford (01235 520 202) email:
steve.culliford@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
in advance. He recommends that each
interest group nominate one spokesperson in order to give other
groups or
individuals a chance to speak too.
Then on completion of that meeting, the Executive will meet to consider
the
Development Control Committee's recommendations and make recommendations
to
the full Council.Again,
a member of the public can address this Executive meeting for a
maxium of five minutes. This also needs to be arranged in advance
with Steve Culliford.
The council
then meets on Wednesday, March 24 at 7pm in The Guildhall,
Abingdon, to consider the Executive's recommendations and to adopt
changes
to the Local Plan for further consultation.There
is also an opportunity for members of the public to speak at this
ouncil meeting. Steve Culliford or one of his colleagues can help
to
arrange this.
The Vale's Local
Plan is due to go on second deposit around June this year.
At that stage, representations will be invited on any changes that
the Vale
is proposing to make to the Local Plan.
Then in April,
2005 (approx), a Local Plan Inquiry is to be held. An
inspector for the Planning Inspectorate will consider all the
representations made. Those who put forward objections to the Local
Plan
will have an opportunity to make a further representation at this
inquiry.
For example, if they do not feel the Vale has addressed their objection
adequately then they can speak at this inquiry.
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