Update from SPADE

OUR GREEN BELT UNDER THREAT AGAIN

You will no doubt remember that the South East of England Regional Assembly takes over responsibility for planning from local authorities from 2016 and 2007 has seen the start of the Examination in Public of the draft South East Plan.

SPADE’s committee has been working hard in the last few months lobbying to be included as a participant at the forthcoming Examination in Public of the South East Plan which discusses issues specifically relating to Oxfordshire at the end of February in Reading. We were unfortunately unsuccessful – but have submitted statements to the panel at every stage of the EIP process, initially commenting on the matters to be discussed.

We have always said that development in the green belt would not go away as an issue and we weren’t wrong. You will not be surprised to hear that the EIP will again raise the issue of whether there should be a review of the Oxford Green Belt. We and the parish council, along with others such as Oxford Green Belt Network and other green belt parish councils have maintained our assertion that there has been a substantial public vote against any such review every time the issue is raised and that there has been no demonstration that the exceptional circumstances exist which would require such a review.

You can see our statement on the SEP website here – along with statements from other local individuals who are again promoting the idea of a significant development in the green belt at Sunningwell. We told you Penbridge hadn’t gone away…