the quarry
| Christine Battersby |
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Fri 15 Aug 2008, 13:56 Hi Clare, There are 2 competing bids for zoning land at the Quarry: one by Charlbury Town Council (for employment use)& one by the owners (for housing). The quarry was previously zoned for employment use, but this was overturned by WODC (despite the report put in by the Independent Inspector who sided with Charlbury Town Council). The independent inspector was, acccording to Finstock News (no 33, 2005), also in favour of some limited housing on this site providing that access to the site could be improved. Last time the issue came up there was an attempt at local consultation; but, oddly, the survey setting out the options didn't get to delivered to at least some of the houses in Ditchley Rd (mine, for example). This time the Town Council has evidently that an adequate consultation has been done in the past, but the way of consulting residents was seriously flawed. Furthermore, since it's not at all clear how access to the site could be improved, it's not at all clear (given the dangers of traffic in The Slade & the problems of traffic on the Ticknell Piece & The Green housing estates)how road access could ever be adequately improved. It's no good suggesting that there is simply a local petition on this, since it is an issue that divides the local community quite deeply. And actually I do understand that we need to keep space available for housing & also local employment. What I find much more troubling is the lack of dissemination of information about the new proposals for revising the Local Development Plan. I think those living on Dyer's Hill & in the vicinity of the station have even more reason to feel aggrieved by this. Since the competing proposal (LDF 266, put in by the Cornbury estate) to develop land near the station for employment & business use seems, to me at least, far more likely to be accepted. But, once again, issues of access & of traffic (& flooding) would need to be addressed. I hope this is clear. My own message is: don't panic over any of this, but do get your objections in ... |