Proposed plans for residential development by cricket club

Mon 27 Oct 2014, 22:21 (last edited on Mon 27 Oct 2014, 22:37)

I'm a newcomer to Charlbury and thus not entitled to have an opinion, let alone express one, for at least another 10 years! So instead, here's what the WODC draft Housing Land Assessment said in 2011 about the area where this development is proposed:

"The views of Charlbury from the west clearly show the town within its wider Cotswolds setting; the views from the B4437 and from the railway line are outstanding. The Evenlode Valley forms a strong landscape edge; the built-up area is softened by mature landscaped gardens and parkland. Just beyond the western edge of the town on the opposite side of the valley is the Cornbury Historic Park and Garden. Much of the valley bottom is floodland (Flood Risk Zones 2 and 3) and during the summer floods of 2007 the area around Dyer's Hill, in particular, experienced flooding. This western edge of Charlbury is of such quality and sensitivity that it is not considered a suitable area for an expansion of the town."

Every community has local development needs and I'm sure Charlbury is no exception. But this proposal isn't about 'exception sites' for local people. However well intentioned it may be - and I'm sure we can all agree that it is - I can't help wondering: Would this County-wide facility be better sited in or close to the main centre of population? And would the provision here of "12 individual 1 or 2 bed flats with extensive communal living facilities" (their description) and an access road (doubtless with more lighting, footways, traffic etc) be an "expansion of the town" into just that area of "outstanding views" and of "such quality and sensitivity" that they ought not to be built there? And once the 'line' of the river is breached (for new residential development), would arguments against further expansion beyond it become that much harder to maintain? And given that the value of land is much greater for development purposes than for agriculture, would the pressure to develop further increase too?

You might think so. I of course couldn't possibly comment. But you could.