Homes plan ‘in disarray’ (From The Oxford Times)
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Homes plan ‘in disarray’
12:00pm Tuesday 6th December 2011 in Wallingford By Andrew Ffrench
Residents stage a protest against the housing plans in January
PLANS for more than 500 new homes in Wallingford have been thrown into disarray after a planning inspector disagreed with council leaders about where they should go.
The independent inspector said the 555 homes should go at Winterbrook, south of the town near Reading Road.
But South Oxfordshire District Council had chosen a site west of Wallingford, at Slade End Farm, near Wantage Road.
Now the council faces a battle with the inspector over where the homes should go.
Planning inspector Roy Foster said the Winterbrook site could be “integrated far more effectively into the urban fabric of Wallingford” to give “superior access” to the town by foot and bicycle.
The council had to identify a site it would allow homes to be built on as part of its planning blueprint for the district.
Council cabinet member for planning Angie Paterson said: “I have been taken aback at the inspector’s intention to change sites at Wallingford, especially as his direction goes against local opinion and the views of the town council and other stakeholders.”
Winterbrook resident David Walters, of the Save Winterbrook Group, said: “This is very disappointing, considering how much time and effort SODC have spent on this.”
But nuclear engineer Mike Rose, 67, of Norries Drive, near Slade End Farm, said: “It’s a relief for residents and we think it is the right decision.”
Slade End footpaths to town are “unsuitable” he said, and residents would shop in Didcot instead.
He said: “At last common sense has prevailed because the Winterbrook site is much closer to the town.
“I do feel some sympathy for Winterbrook residents because no-one wants such a large number of homes to be built all in one place.”
Council spokesman Martin Crabtree said councillors would discuss the issue in January.
In all, the council has to earmark 1,000 homes for the Wallingford area and 9,000 in and around Didcot.
Comments(5)
downsview
says...
4:15pm Wed 7 Dec 11
SAW were well funded and made more 'noise 'against the selection of Site E - Winterbrook but the inspector has made a decision based on the facts. E is closer to the town centre & will assimilate with the town rather than being a stick on which B would be.
spriggs
says...
10:47pm Wed 7 Dec 11
jimmy muir
says...
12:50pm Thu 8 Dec 11
Its common knowledge that Anne Ducker had been in 'discussions' with Prudential (the owners & potential developers of site 'B') since 2008 - long before any public consultation ever reached it's flawed conclusion.
Site 'E' of all the sites propoposed by SODC is clearly the most suitable location for any expansion of the Wallingford for all the reasons that residents opposed to development on Site 'B' had stated to SODC at Cabinet meetings etc and were later confirmed by the Goverment Inspector - Mr Roy Foster!
belgarion
says...
5:36pm Thu 8 Dec 11
This conservative duo, backed by a conservative majority at the SODC have done their upmost to prevent housing sullying the conservative area of Winterbrook. There has been no democracy just the tory whip applied in the interest of their cohorts.
It took an independent planning inspector to finally see through their game plan and based on nothing more than evidence and common sense recommend that the houses go where they should have gone years ago!
Mona2 says...
7:37pm Tue 6 Dec 11