AS the people of Thame begin to take-in the implications for the town of the district council’s Draft Local Plan 2032, one resident, Norman Brand, shares his own response letter to the proposals encapsulated in the Draft plan.
“The people of Thame and its council worked hard, in good faith and considerable expense over months, not without disagreements but honestly and with fairness, to establish agreement on the current Thame Town Plan.
“During that process everyone was conscious of and tried to take into account the growing pressure on all the town’s facilities and services, including medical and educational, from the existing population, which increases gradually anyway through ‘windfall’ construction.
“The requirement for a new Plan is in my view a breach of the trust and good faith demonstrated by everyone here in achieving agreement on the current plan – which was regarded and presented as a flagship product and an example to the nation, as I recall.
“Much love for this town and for the example it presents of neighbourliness and courtesy in everyday life was expressed at many meetings, despite signs of growing strain put upon it even at present
“I fully support Thame Town Council’s draft response to the plan.
“It makes no sense to leave Henley out of the proposals, assuming some sacrifice is demanded of everywhere else.
“There should be robust protests to Aylesbury Vale council about the proposals for thousands of houses at Haddenham, which is already showing signs of being suburb or town, rather than village. The effect on Thame’s traffic would be very severe indeed, to put it mildly.
“There is a genuine danger of a ‘Greater Aylesbury’ being developed.
“It seems that Thame is being dumped on as easy meat for the planners.
“I would urge the District Council to do all in its power – and more – to have this new plan dropped.”
Yours sincerely,
Norman Brand
White Stuff will be taking over the ex Country Casuals building in Buttermarket, Thame.
