Recycling depot may disappear

Thu 25 Jun 2009, 22:41

Following an interesting, full and frank exchange of views on Monday, The Town Clerk prepared a response which was intended to express a consensus. This response was agreed by the majority of councillors on Wednesday and will be sent to Oxfordshire County Council and West Oxfordshire District Council:

a. This facility is outside Charlbury Parish but is very well used and appreciated facility which encourages recycling beyond that which is provided by kerbside collection. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal.

b. Concerns of neighbouring Parishes with regard to traffic movements and deteriorating road infrastructure are noted.

c. The renewal of permission should be for a limited period and should require the County Council to undertake a feasibility study to seek and develop an alternative site, thus enabling Dean to be closed and restored. The alternative site should be operational prior to any such closure and ideally should be available within 3 - 5 years.

d. It is considered that alternative sites are available and that the location of these is such that all relevant proximity criteria and significant reduction in traffic disruption to adjoining settlements could be minimised. Potential sites may be available in the Enstone area.

e. If consent for a further temporary period is granted then the above comments should be included as conditions together with a definite target closure/replacement date for the Dean facility.

f. Operating hours permitted should reflect the location and potential disruption to the local area.

Thu 25 Jun 2009, 20:03

So, Reg, which way did our councillors vote? Do tell us!

Thu 25 Jun 2009, 16:44

Be careful what you wish for. We may end up with a very local - the old quarry could take loads, and how convenient for the residents of Ditchley Road!

Mon 22 Jun 2009, 15:21

A local recycling depot is a pretty essential part of a working and workable recycling scheme. We regularly take both green and other recyclables to Dean Pit, but would struggle to do the same if we'd have to go all the way to Stanton Harcourt!
I can image that people living close to the facility experience some drawbacks - but it's got to be somewhere, and I suppose different facilities in different places are spreading the burden actually (not sure any Dean residents come to Charlbury for shopping, football or a pint, but they're very welcome to...).
From the documentation I get the impression that the impact on the ANB is limited, and they even make every effort to enhance the ANB.

Sun 21 Jun 2009, 09:12

On Monday (22nd) Charlbury Town Council will be discussing the County Council’s planning application to extend the use of Dean Pit as a Waste Recycling Centre for a further 5 years until September 2014.

I am minded to support the proposal, but I think there will be some opposition as a result of objections raised by residents of Chadlington, Dean and Spelsbury. These local objections are based on

1. The WRC is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
2. Problems with access.
3. Alleged threatened withholding of financial contributions to the Conservative Party

Please read the background documents in Jon's posting.
What do Charlbury residents think about this?

Tue 16 Jun 2009, 10:33

Maybe we should petition for the closure of Charlbury railway station - after all, it attracts a lot of traffic to our town, some of it from Chadlington and Dean. I'm sure the people of the two villages would be just as understanding about driving to Hanborough or Oxford as we would be about driving to Stanton Harcourt or Ardley.

More seriously, the traffic through Dean is probably a result of the increased use of satnavs. If you ask Google Maps (which uses the same data) for a route from Chipping Norton to OX7 3JY, the site's postcode, it does indeed send you through Dean. But the way to tackle this is surely by putting signs up saying "Local access only" (they have a special "ignore your satnav" pictogram these days) or even installing the dreaded speedbumps - not by closing the site.

It's worth noting also that having a landfill site nearby gives Charlbury charitable organisations access to Landfill Tax funding via the Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment, something that'd be lost if Dean Pit was closed.

Tue 16 Jun 2009, 10:17

I've heard that David Cameron is supporting the closure of the Dean depot, although I don't know anything definite. If so, I doubt that he will be sympathetic to those of us who wish it to stay open.

Tue 16 Jun 2009, 08:38

Lots of interesting background documents here. The basic facts of the application are here. Use of the site is decreasing slowly, and it looks as if the main objection is from Dean residents who say traffic from the north takes the short cut through their village instead of going via Spelsbury. You can express your opinion on the planning application by emailing dawn.brodie@westoxon.gov.uk

Tue 16 Jun 2009, 06:55

Thanks for that mandy,i thought it may be something to do with traffic .I wonder if it worth contacting our local MP but there again he lives in Dean .I just wonder why after all the years that the recycling centre has been operating that this has not been an issue till now as the residents of both villages must have used it on numerous occasions plus you need a map and compass or sat nav to find Dean,then you would think you were going to fall off the end of the world .By the way Dean is a lovely place ,my gran bless her used to live there so i do have a certain very happy memories of alices cottage .Lets hope that we can keep our local facility or as you say there will probably be a lot more fly tipping going on .

Mon 15 Jun 2009, 21:52

it's because people in dean and chad objected to the extension as there is to much traffic and it is making the road bad with pot holes.
and yes we would have to goto stanton harcourt.Which means there will be more fly tipping.

Sun 14 Jun 2009, 22:01

Does anybody know why we may be losing our recycling depot at Dean .I went today only to be asked by a nice lady how often i used the facility.Apparently the residents of Chadlington have objected to an extension of use until 2014 and have taken legal advice to help with its closure .What will happen if it closes,will we then be expected to travel to stanton harcourt for a recycling facility.Anyone know .????