Dean Pit update

Thu 11 Aug 2011, 12:50 (last edited on Thu 11 Aug 2011, 12:51)

I've been asked to give people an update on the Forum as to what is happening with regard to Dean Pit. As you may know, we submitted a petition with nearly 2000 signatures some weeks ago to OCC and I have put the council's response up on the News page. The day after the petition was handed in, WODC's cabinet decided that they would look at the possibility of a new site being opened at Greystones, a property on the A361 just outside Chipping Norton, which is owned by WODC. This site is just behind Jeremy Clarkson's house, a fact that was picked up by the national press! Also picked up by the press was the fact that Lord Chadlington, owner of Dean Manor and a leading light in the local Tory party, has been active in seeking the closure of Dean Pit for some years.

It's clear that WODC agree that we need a local facility - but what does not make sense is that one facility is closed for another to open three miles up the road. WODC claim that to keep Dean Pit open will cost £1 million. The Environment Agency tell me that Dean Pit would need an upgrade to stay open, and that this would entail the installation of a sealed tank to hold dirty water, instead of allowing it to flow into a soak away as at present. Would this cost £1 million? I don't know, as I am not an expert, but I doubt it. There would be a maintenance cost associated with it, however, as it would have to be emptied regularly. And it is possible that a similar arangement could be needed at Greystones though on that site water could be directed into the mains.

Dean Pit is scheduled to close on September 30th, and the likelihood of a new site at Greystones being up and running by then is pretty well zero. So I have also asked if, on the assumption that a site at Greystones is going to open, they would consider keeping Dean Pit open unitl it is ready. Under the terms of Dean Pit's temporary planning permission, the site has to revert to agricultural use by September 30th 2013, which would mean it could stay open a bit longer, if OCC chooses.

Greystones is not, however, an altogether popular site in Chippy because it is next door to the rugby club and some houses (other than Jeremy Clarksons's). It is also on a very busy main road. I am going to the Chipping Norton town council meeting on Monday evening to speak about what we are doing to keep Dean Pit open, and I will post more as it happens.