Housing plan for Cogges Link land

1:00pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Tom Jennings, covering Witney and West Oxfordshire. Call me on 01865 425403

HOMES could be built on land earmarked for Witney’s ill-fated Cogges Link Road.

The latest draft of West Oxfordshire District Council’s core strategy – the area’s housing blueprint for the coming decades – outlines the requirement for at least 5,500 to be built by 2029.

Previous estimates suggested 4,300 homes would need to be built be 2026.

The draft document suggests building 1,900 homes in Witney, including 300 homes to the east of the town on land that had been set aside for the Cogges Link Road.

And 1,850 homes are earmarked for Carterton, including 700 homes to the east of the town and 400 homes on sites formerly used for military homes known as REEMA North and Central.

Warwick Robinson, West Oxfordshire District Council cabinet member for strategic planning, said: “We have taken into account all the changes that have occurred since we produced the previous core strategy, most particularly the Government’s latest strategy on planning, the decision by the Ministry of Defence to change the use of land at the REEMA sites, and the inspector’s decision on the Cogges Link Road.

“We have produced what we believed to be the most appropriate and sustainable Local Plan.”

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If the district council’s cabinet approves the draft document next Wednesday it could go out to public consultation in late October or early November and a final version produced next spring, Mr Robinson said.

Land east of Witney became available for housing development earlier this year after Oxfordshire County Council was refused permission to compulsorily purchase land for the Cogges Link Road.

David Condon – chairman of the Witney branch of Campaign to Protect Rural England, which fought against the link road – said: “In principle we do not want any more houses in Witney anywhere, but until we have had a chance to analyse the proposals we are not going to make pronouncements.”

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence announced land previously used for military housing in central Carterton – REEMA North and Central – could be made available for private use now. The site is now earmarked for 400 homes.

The latest draft core strategy also reveals the district council would prefer to build 700 homes in East Carterton ahead of sites west and north of the town.

Comments(18)

Andrew:Oxford says...
1:16pm Wed 10 Oct 12

Well, the CPRE have made things quite clear on their policy. No new homes for Witney...

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Witneyitte says...
2:56pm Wed 10 Oct 12

Thats lucky for Mr Mawle to probably be able to sell his land now for houses. More congestion but that doesn't matter to him.
Shores's Green would not help the congestion in Witney at all.

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livedhereforyears says...
4:03pm Wed 10 Oct 12

Before they feel the need to build more houses the planning department in west oxon needs to look again at local planning - a look on rightmove etc will show seceral houses that have been built and then the planners have put rediculous holiday let conditions on them making them unmorgageable and therefore unsaleable - across West Oxon there have been numerous rural developments which have had these unnecessary restrictions on them - and only recently The gazette featured a planning refusal on an existing building which someone wanted to save and use for a house but the council would rather let existing buildings rot into the ground and cause development on fields instead - crazy but no surprise !

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Andrew:Oxford says...
6:28pm Wed 10 Oct 12

livedhereforyears wrote:
Before they feel the need to build more houses the planning department in west oxon needs to look again at local planning - a look on rightmove etc will show seceral houses that have been built and then the planners have put rediculous holiday let conditions on them making them unmorgageable and therefore unsaleable - across West Oxon there have been numerous rural developments which have had these unnecessary restrictions on them - and only recently The gazette featured a planning refusal on an existing building which someone wanted to save and use for a house but the council would rather let existing buildings rot into the ground and cause development on fields instead - crazy but no surprise !
I suspect that the letting conditions were in place prior to them being built rather than after.

You might have difficulty getting a home loan on the holiday let, but they aren't unmortgageable. I've secured mortgages on boats, paintings even classic cars - so a holiday let shouldn't be impossible.

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the wizard says...
7:18am Thu 11 Oct 12

So, here we have this piece of land, now people said the CLR would cause the flooding which occurs on it to be made worse because the way the road was built would cause problems with the water, so now we are going to build houses on it, which will become homes for the occupiers. I take it alongside any garage with the properties boat moorings will be provided as well. Building on a flood plain, well just how morally right is that if planning permission is granted, sheer lunacy and incompetency by the council. Idiots.

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mike4753 says...
7:59am Thu 11 Oct 12

So Mr Mawle looks like getting more money for building more houses!!.
When will people accept that Witney's infrastructure cannot support anymore building.There should be a freeze put on all new developments in Witney until a scheme to relieve the traffic chaos has been agreed and built. What are the planners playing at-certainly not planning for Witneys growth-morelike gridlock

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livedhereforyears says...
9:35am Thu 11 Oct 12

Well said Mike - totally agree - The council should be strong enough to build the roads and then negotiate with developers for suitable areas for houses - at the moment they are being given the run around by people with money and land who think they can dictate to the council - no point in voting these people onto the council if they are not in charge - the land owners need to get into the 21st century and accept this is a democracy - we are not still living in the dark ages - WODC get a grip and make proper decisions for the town not for a few rich individuals !

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bodchris says...
7:54pm Thu 11 Oct 12

Complete delicious irony!

I sincerely hope the houses are built, so wonderful after having rejected the road that would have helped traffic conjestion it's now only justice that instead they get houses.

I ask why not throw in an incinerator as well?

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H.J.Harris says...
8:32pm Thu 11 Oct 12

WODC has found there is no point trying to fight the likes of the anti-CLR brigade. Democracy doesn't stand a chance againt groups so adept at using publicity to make their case appear more worthwhile than it is, they used one arguement after another until they got their way.

With all this in mind, it is rather harsh to blame the Council. Government want more houses to be built but local interest groups don't and we, the taxpayer, must put up with it.

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David Condon says...
9:24pm Thu 11 Oct 12

WODC will be holding a Cabinet meeting at Langdale Hall, Witney, at 2pm next Wednesday October 17th. It is open to the public, and the first item for discussion on the agenda will be the West Oxon Local Plan (Core Strategy).

http://www.westoxon.
gov.uk/files/agendas
/1950.pdf

Two documents that are required reading beforehand are -

http://www.westoxon.
gov.uk/files/reports
/11910.pdf

and -

http://www.westoxon.
gov.uk/files/reports
/11914.pdf

I urge anyone interested in the future of Witney to read these documents and attend the WODC meeting.

David Condon
WitneyFirst, Witney CPRE.

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spinkle says...
11:32pm Fri 12 Oct 12

cogges link road plan A to build a road to allow new development on ugly bit of green land between town center and cogges and also other side of cogges.
plan build on ugly bit of green land and the we will have to put in a link road because there will be other choice

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Witneyitte says...
4:22pm Sat 13 Oct 12

Just as a matter of interest could Mr Condon tell us what will happen to the little animals and insects (that they were so concerned about) when they were campaigning to stop The Link Rd.

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Witneyitte says...
4:25pm Sat 13 Oct 12

Witneyitte wrote:
Just as a matter of interest could Mr Condon tell us what will happen to the little animals and insects (that they were so concerned about) when they were campaigning to stop The Link Rd.
That is to say if they get the go ahead for houses on Mr Mawle,s land.

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tk_leys says...
4:33pm Sat 13 Oct 12

Any chance "they" will think about the impact that many homes will have on the already over-busy roads (particularly the A40 between Witney and Oxford) and other local services, such as hospitals etc.?
I remain sceptical...

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mike4753 says...
6:42pm Sun 14 Oct 12

So I will repeat myself!!!
Will anyone listen???

So Mr Mawle looks like getting more money for building more houses!!.
When will people accept that Witney's infrastructure cannot support anymore building.There should be a freeze put on all new developments in Witney until a scheme to relieve the traffic chaos has been agreed and built. What are the planners playing at-certainly not planning for Witneys growth-morelike gridlock

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bodchris says...
8:45pm Sun 14 Oct 12

tk_leys wrote:
Any chance "they" will think about the impact that many homes will have on the already over-busy roads (particularly the A40 between Witney and Oxford) and other local services, such as hospitals etc.?
I remain sceptical...
Well said Sir!!!!

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bodchris says...
8:46pm Sun 14 Oct 12

83% Against
17% For

Looks like the nimbys are out in force.

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bodchris says...
8:53pm Sun 14 Oct 12

mike4753 wrote:
So I will repeat myself!!!
Will anyone listen???

So Mr Mawle looks like getting more money for building more houses!!.
When will people accept that Witney's infrastructure cannot support anymore building.There should be a freeze put on all new developments in Witney until a scheme to relieve the traffic chaos has been agreed and built. What are the planners playing at-certainly not planning for Witneys growth-morelike gridlock
You speak complete sense!!

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