Today the OxLEP – the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership published its plans for public engagement in the SEP ‘refresh’ – the same day the Need not Greed Oxon Coalition issued a Press Release calling for OxLEP to come clean on its plans.
OxLEP prepared a Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) for the county that was adopted and submitted to Government in March 2014. OxLEP is now refreshing the Plan over the coming months.
The Need not Greed Oxon campaign launched a Press Release today: ‘Oxfordshire’s forced economic growth strategy: Time for OxLEP and Councils to come clean on public consultation process’.
The Need not Greed Oxon Coalition is demanding that proposals for how local people will be involved in decisions on the future growth strategy for the county are published.
OxLEP, the unelected Local Enterprise Partnership, has promised a public consultation on the ‘refresh’ of its Strategic Economic Plan. However, so far it has failed to make clear what exactly this will involve and whether there will be any opportunity to comment on the overall growth targets.Read more …
High Street, Burford.
A year ago the town of Burford in West Oxfordshire was faced with a planning application for a major development off Shilton Road which would bring over 400 extra residents and 200 plus vehicles to this small rural town and its already over-crowded roads.
Thanks to the written objections of 450 local people and the unanimous opposition of the Uplands Planning Committee, this unsustainable development was turned down – the need for a development on this scale could not be demonstrated and the infrastructure to support it was lacking.
Disappointingly, the developer Hallam Land Management, has lodged an appeal, which will be heard at a Public Inquiry.Read more …
View of Harwell and Didcot from the Ridgeway
The village of Harwell is once again the site of a development proposal on greenfield – this time by Gladman Developments who want to build up to 60 homes on land north of Didcot Road, on the east of Harwell.
As part of Gladman’s ‘commitment to engage with local communities’, leaflets outlining the development proposals and seeking comments have been distributed during late January 2016 to approximately 365 households and businesses in Harwell, as part of Gladman’s pre-application, public consultation process.
Read more …
Gavray Meadows in Bicester is under threat from development. Part of Gavray Meadows was designated a local wildlife site, or Conservation Target Area (CTA), in 2002 – it is home to many rare species and is virtually the only wild green space remaining inside Bicester’s ring road. But 300 homes are proposed for Gavray Meadows and the surrounding area, known by planners as ‘Bicester 13’.
Read more …
Jo Schofield
Residents from all over Oxfordshire attended the Protect Vale Green Belt Walk on Sunday morning (24 January) to express their concern about plans to develop large parts of the Green Belt around north Abingdon.
The walk was organised by members of the Need not Greed Oxon coalition to highlight the challenges faced by the Green Belt in North Abingdon, including SPADE – Sunningwell Parishioners Against Damage to the Environment, NALPG – North Abingdon Local Planning Group, and CPRE Oxfordshire.Read more …