7:03am Saturday 22nd August 2009
By Chris Walker
A community has breathed a collective sigh of relief after their homes were removed from plans for a major business park following an about-turn by Oxford City Council.
The owners of 42 homes in Goose Green Close, Rawson Close, Woodstock Road and Godstow Road in Wolvercote feared their homes could be bulldozed as part of the Northern Gateway development.
But planners unexpectedly revealed their homes had been removed from the development area of the park.
However, residents, Green Belt campaigners and Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris have vowed to continue fighting plans for the massive business park – which could create up to 5,000 new jobs – proposed for 100 acres of land at Pear Tree.
At a packed public meeting at Wolvercote Village Hall, attended by about 200 people, the council’s head of planning policy, Mark Jaggard, said it would be “catastrophic” if the development did not go ahead.
He said: “We haven’t got sufficient employment land for the development of the city.
“We are running short and it’s going to have a catastrophic effect, because firms are going to go elsewhere.
“Firms want to be in Oxford to be linked to the university and, if they don’t come here, they are more likely to go abroad.”
Robert de Newtown, of opposition group Engage, argued there was already plenty of available space for new businesses.
He said after checking with the Land Registry he found 650 empty commercial properties available within a ten-mile radius of Oxford.
Dr Harris said: “I’m passionately in favour of jobs and housing for my constituents.
“What’s the point of destroying the nature of Oxford just to create space for companies who want to chase the name of the city?
“I don’t think we should give up, we can persuade the inspector this plan is flawed on almost every level.”
Residents have criticised the council for keeping them in the dark about the plans, which were discussed at the Town Hall last month as part of the council’s core strategy.
Janice Nicholls, 50, who has lived in Goose Green Close since it was built 50 years ago, said: “Everyone’s breathing a sigh of relief.
“If we hadn’t come forward, our houses would still be in the development area.
“The map wouldn’t have been changed and it would have gone forward to the planning inspector and it would have given them free rein.
“I don’t think they realised how much energy and feeling there would be against these plans.
“They should ditch them altogether. We are angry about losing our green space and we will fight to keep it.”
A council spokesman said: “The council is aware of local people’s concerns in the area of the Northern Gateway.
“The boundary shown to residents at the public meeting is an indicative boundary for the Northern Gateway Area Action Plan, which will be subject to further public consultation.
“A minor change was made to the boundary to reassure local residents there is no intention to include as part of any development, or associated access, residential properties in the area.
“Similarly, there has never been any intention to develop any of Goose Green.”
A final decision on the Northern Gateway development will be made by a planning inspector in October following a hearing on September 10 and 11.
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