Category: Thame news

Only 9 days left to say what YOU think of new Local Plan

PEOPLE in Thame and the rest of South Oxfordshire have only days left if they want to give their views on updated proposals for how the district should meet, what the district council says, is a need for more new housing to 2032.

So far almost 1,000 responses have been submitted while over 1,300 people have attended special drop in sessions across the district to find out more about the plans. However, people only have until 4.30pm on Friday, August 19, to submit their comments on the plans.

‘No thanks’ says Thame Town Council to ‘dreadful’ plan

SODC’s Local Plan 2032, includes its ‘Preferred Options’ – which for Thame, include provision for an additional 600 new homes, on top of over 700 ‘enshrined’ in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. At a packed public meeting held last Thursday, August 4, at St Mary’s church in Thame, the most strongly expressed feeling was against any more new homes in the town, and that any necessary infrastructure should be in place before any additional development, if there was any.

Thame Town Council is strongly against any more development in Thame and at a meeting of its Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Commmitte, Councillors called the plan ‘dreadful’, and ‘a poor piece of work with holes all over it’. Cllr Ann Midwinter questioned SODC’s motives, and said that it needed to be made clear to SODC that it was necessary to concentrate on the impact the proposed plan would have on Thame, and not on the discussions about a Unitary council.

People of Haddenham feel ‘dumped on’

Councillors also fear the impact on Thame of the proposed Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan, for whcih a public meeting meeting was held last week in Haddenham, attended by three district councillors and a Senior Planning Officer. Reporting back to the NPCC, Cllr Mike Dyer said: “The people of Haddenham feel as though they are being dumped on big time!” (5,500 extra houses are proposed for Haddenham)

He reported that a very strongly worded letter to Wycombe District Council from Haddenham, accused Wycombe DC of ‘abusing ‘ its position, by allowing a lower housing density in its own area, thereby forcing more houses elsewhere, to meet an unmet need for houses in its own district (15 houses per hectare in Wycombe, and 25-30 in Thame) !

What else?

Over the past three years, South Oxfordshire District Council has been preparing its new Local Plan 2032. The document will set out where the main new housing sites in the district should go, as well as the shops, jobs, road improvements and leisure facilities needed for the district. The plan will also include detailed policies the council will use to help decide planning applications for the lifetime of the plan. It is hoped that this will be delivered through the neighbourhood planning process – in Thame’s case, a revised Neighbourhood Plan.

A completely new settlement?

The consultation includes seven possible options for a new sustainable settlement of 3,500 new homes. The council’s preferred option is to build a new community on the Chalgrove Airfield, which is near to existing and future employment sites. Most of the other options are in the green belt, which the council has said it does not believe is appropriate.

Thame Town Council will be submitting its draft response to the Consultation to SODC, along with the presentation it made at the public meeting in Thame last week.

How YOU can have your say

To view the proposals and have your say on the Local Plan 2032 and the Sustainability Appraisal, visit www.southoxon.gov.uk/newlocalplan.

10/08/2016
Summer wins for Thame Squash siblings

WHO thought that squash was a winter game? Throughout the school holidays there have already been three junior tournaments: The Mote Kent Open, the Winchester Open and the Abingdon Open – and that doesn’t even include the local Racquets Open Junior One-Day tournament recently won by Ollie Dudley-Heidkamp, from Thame.

Oliver and Emily Coulcher-Porter with Nick Matthew, former World Number one, now ranked World Number four

Oliver Coulcher-Porter, 10, and his sister Emily, aged 8, train and play at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame, and both have been competing and being highly successful all around the South of England tournament scene.

Oliver has won the Under 13 boys’ Mote Kent Open, the Winchester Under 11 boys Open and the Abingdon Under 11s boys Open tournaments. These results will take his ranking well into the top ten boys in Great Britain.

Meanwhile, sister Emily won the Under 11 girls Abingdon Open – despite being a full two and a half years younger and much lower ranked than the other finalist. She also came fourth in the London Open Under 13 girls where she was the youngest by about four years! Mum, Jane, said: “‘I couldn’t be more proud of my kids who are punching above their age and succeeding. We’re visiting clubs all across the country and meeting so many wonderful people.”

“We love squash and try to go to Racquets for the morning squash drop-in training sessions throughout the summer holidays as much as possible, said Oliver. “We enjoy playing with all the different standards of players, whether they are beginners or nationally ranked. It was great to have one of our older boys from Racquets, Oliver Cartwright, support me in my tough final at Abingdon. He played so well in the U15 boys section against extremely formidable opponents.”

The next tournament for Oliver and Emily will be the Silver South Great Britain Tournament in August, which will be held in Exeter.

09/08/2016
New ‘Elms’ plan will over stretch services, say petitioners

A new planning application for an Extra Care housing development, on land at The Elms, Upper High Street, Thame, submitted by Rectory Homes, is currently open for Consultation until August 31.

The application is for apartments, houses and a communal residents’ centre with basement parking and storage areas and creation of new public open space, provision of new vehicle access from Elms Road and a new pedestrian/cycle link onto Upper High Street with associated infrastructure works and landscaping.

A previous application by Rectory Homes for 37 dwellings on land at The Elms, was awarded Planning Permission over a year ago, but no work was ever started.

An organisation that lobbied against the original application, the Elms Petition Group, has stated in its recent news letter: “This volume of housing clearly exceeds the allocation of ‘up to 45 houses’ which is detailed in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. This volume of housing of this type will also heavily increase the pressure on local support services such as doctors and ambulance first responders. Anyone that currently lives in Southern Thame will testify that ambulances and fire services (first responders) are already an all too regular sight at the existing care homes in the area.

You can read the full application on South Oxfordshire District Council’s website HERE

09/08/2016
A masterpiece of love and loathing that speaks to us today

DAVID Hare’s new English version of Lorca’s great masterpiece of love and loathing, The House of Bernarda Alba, is being performed by Thame Players during the week September 6 – 10.

The play is one of three in Lorca’s ‘rural trilogy’ – the others being Yerma (successfully revived at the Young Vic in a new adaptation starring Billie Piper this summer) and Blood Wedding.

Val Cockayne, who plays Maria Josefa, in rehearsals for ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’

The play was written in 1936, the year that saw the start of the Spanish Civil War and also Lorca’s murder by Franco’s nationalists at the age of 38 – he never saw his work performed. With an all-female cast, The House of Bernarda Alba tells the story of five daughters living in one household with their tyrannical mother. When the father of all but the eldest dies, a marriage plan is advanced which has dramatic and tragic consequences for the entire family.

The play deals with themes such as arranged marriage and illegitimacy, providing an insight into social conditions in rural Spain in the 1930s. It explores passion, repression and conformity, showing the powerful influence of family reputation on events.

Lorca was the homosexual son of a wealthy landowner, a celebrated poet, artist and musician as well as a playwright. A gentle man with republican sympathies, he heard first-hand in his father’s household from the servants gossiping about village life, about how women were treated in 1930s Spain, and this drama, set in the villages of Andalusia, shows how oppression, tradition and class prejudice affected women’s lives.

The director of Thame Players’ production is Bernadette Tildesley. She explained: “This play is challenging and draws you in because all the characters are strong and credible. The action is dramatic, but you sense an underlying ironic humour which deepens audience engagement. The leading character, the matriarch of the family, is fascinatingly awful to watch – men are mesmerised by her just as much as women.

“Although it relates to life in rural Spain over 80 years ago, this play has meaning for us in the 21st century.” Referring to a 2012 adaptation of Bernarda Alba by Emily Mann at the Almeida Theatre, Bernadette continued: “This adaptation reinforced the political resonances first seen in the 2005 premiere of David Hare’s version. These are relevant, for example, when you look at the oppression, particularly of women, that is happening now in contemporary Iran. These undertones enable the audience to appreciate and empathise with the poignancy of the story, while pondering its political dimensions. The play is beautifully written and well worth experiencing.”

NOTES

• The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca in the new English version by David Hare is at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame OX9 2DP from Tuesday 6th until Saturday 10th September, starting at 7.45 pm. Tickets cost £9 and £8 (concessions) and are available from Spear Travels, telephone 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk

• Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936), one of the greatest Spanish writers of the twentieth century, was born in Fuente Vaqueros, a village west of Granada. His early years growing up in the countryside had a lasting effect on him. In 1928 he found national fame with the publication of Gypsy Ballads. Returning to Spain from a visit to New York in 1929/30, Lorca found the left-wing government more to his liking. Using a government grant, he ran a travelling theatre company, La Barraca, from 1932-36. During this period he completed his ‘rural trilogy’ including The House of Bernarda Alba. Following the outbreak of civil war in 1936, he was targeted by Falangist thugs, arrested, and shot dead near Granada. Although his death was recorded in 1940, his body was never found.

• David Hare, born in Sussex in 1947, is the author of twenty-nine plays for the stage, seventeen of which have been seen at the National Theatre. His new version of Lorca’s play, premiered at the National in 2005 in a fine production by Howard Davies, leaves little doubt of the play’s political resonance. He has also written many screenplays for cinema and television and written and directed a trilogy of films for the BBC.

• Thame Players is a registered charity run entirely by volunteers offering a varied range of productions all year round, from serious theatre to comedy and pantomime, including their own productions, visiting shows, and film screenings by Thame Cinema 4 All. For more information about Thame Players call 07938 857291 or visit www.thameplayers.co.uk.

09/08/2016
Field Fire threatens houses near Chinnor Heritage Railway

JUST two days after a warning was issued about the dangers of grass fires in the current weather conditions, a grass fire, that threatened near-by houses yesterday, is thought to have been started by embers from a passing steam train.

At 5.30pm yesterday, August 7, fire crews from both Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Services were called to a substantial field fire near Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway line in Chinnor, just off the Lower Icknield Way.

Watch Manager, Andy Ford, from Thame fire station, said: “The area affected by fire was approximately 200m x 200m and there were houses and horses nearby. Six fire engines and 35 fire crews brought the fire under control and made sure it was out. They managed to stop the fire spreading to nearby houses and made sure horses in the area were led away to safety.

Andy continued: “The crews worked so hard in hot weather to make sure that this fire didn’t spread; I’m really proud of them. This is a reminder that during hot dry weather we need to be very careful in the country side with any kind of potential ignition source!”

NOTE: Visit www.365alive.co.uk for fire safety advice. If you have a fire safety question you can call the free phone community safety helpline on 08000 325 999 or email: community.safety@oxfordshire.gov.uk

08/08/2016
Dry weather sparks wildfire warning

A WARNING of a ‘very high’ risk of wildfires for parts of Oxfordshire has been issued by the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The Met Office’s Fire Severity Index (FSI), is an assessment of how severe a wildfire could become if one were to start. The index uses information such as wind speed, temperature, time of year and rainfall to produce a fire severity assessment.

The following advice about how to reduce the risk of wildfires is being given out to the public:

· Extinguish cigarettes properly and don’t throw the cigarette end on the ground.
· Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows.
· Avoid using open fires in the countryside.
· Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland. Sunlight shining through glass can start fires. Take them home and or put them in a waste or recycling bin.
· Only use barbecues in a suitable and safe area. Never leave them unattended and make sure it is fully extinguished and cold before disposing of the contents.

What to do if you see a fire

· Report it to the Fire and Rescue Service immediately.
· Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water.
· Leave the area as quickly as possible.

Group Manager Rob MacDougall from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Every year, wildfires destroy thousands of acres of countryside and wildlife habitats. They also put lives and surroundings at risk. Some fires are started deliberately, but most are due to carelessness. A cigarette end thrown from a car or perhaps a bottle left behind after a picnic could start a blaze which destroys acres of fields, woodland, crops or undergrowth and with them the habitat of local wildlife.

“We are asking everyone to be extra careful during this hot dry period. Oxfordshire has some fantastic countryside and as well as enjoying it, we all need to protect it!”

Visit www.365alive.co.uk for fire safety advice. If you have a community safety question you can call the free phone community safety helpline on 08000 325 999 or email: community.safety@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Further details of the Fire Severity index can be found at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/fire-severity-index. The Fire Severity

06/08/2016
Shipwrecks and treasures from the Sicilian seas

IF you’re beginning to run out of ideas of things to do with the family during the summer holidays, or just a curious adult with a couple of hours to spare in Oxford, there’s a fascinating exhibition on at the moment at The Ashmolean featuring relics left behind from sunken ships off the Italian island of Sicily.

Dr Jeff Royal of the East Carolina University, in front of the-the Rome: Total War display and battering rams

Oxford-based Freelance writer, Nicholas Newman, has written this review after a visiting the exhibition on its opening day, June 21st, but there’s plenty of time yet to see for yourself, as it runs until September 25.

Nicholas writes: “For over 2500 years, Sicily was fought over by many great powers including the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines,the Arabs and the Normans. As a result, a huge number of wrecks have been discovered in the waters that surround this island.

Some of the exhibits on display

For computer game players and fans of Rome: Total War, they will be especially pleased to see an excerpt from Battle of the Egadi being portrayed on a screen. This historic battle, that took place between the Romans and the Carthaginians on March 10, 241 BC, eventually led to Rome’s domination of the Mediterranean. The clip being played certainly demonstrates the effectiveness of the battering rams affixed to such triremes.

In addition, the exhibition illustrates the work of Honor Frost (1917–2010), who was one of the pioneers of early underwater archaeology. Sicily is where she did much of the work that was to make her a world leader in her subject. Well worth a visit!

This exhibition, Storms, War and Shipwrecks, has been curated by Dr Paul Roberts, Keeper of the Department of Antiquities and Dr Alexandra Sofroniew, Exhibition Curator at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and supported by The William Delafield Charitable Trust and the Honor Frost Foundation.”

FULL DETAILS, including ticket prices and information, can be found on the Ashmolean’s website HERE

06/08/2016
Road closed – diesel spillage

B4445 Oxfordshire – B4445 Chinnor Road in Thame closed in both directions between the B4012 Wenman Road junction and the Chinnor Road junction, because of an accident earlier on and a spillage of diesel on the road.

05/08/2016
Council and police join forces to tackle illegal parking

THAME Town Council and the Thame Neighbourhood Policing Team have launched a new, joint initiative, to tackle breaches in traffic regulations connected to parking in the town centre.

A typical example of bad parking in Buttermarket, Thame

This follows a series of complaints to the town council that vehicles are staying over the two hour limit in the restricted bays in the town centre. Thames Valley Police in its Neighbourhood Update for August, has stated:

“This has been highlighted to the NHPT as a community concern and as having a negative impact on the vibrancy of the town centre area, for both local residents and business.

“During this joint partnership initiative vehicle details are recorded and the registered keepers contacted by letter from TVP. As part of the initiative, a number of vehicles have been recorded as contravening the two hour waiting limit on a regular basis.

“On identifying these details the local Neighbourhood team gives consideration to further options which can include visiting the registered keeper and the possibility of issuing Fixed Penalty Notices. This initiative currently continues as an ongoing partnership between Thame NHPT and the Thame town council.”

Tom Newitt, who owns a butchers’ in the town, has told Thame.Net that he observes people parking in the area outside his shop, for far longer than the allowed two hours, and that he knows of a particular employee of another town centre shop that parks in the area for the whole working day.

“That’s a parking place that could be used by several potential shoppers throughout the day,” he said. “But local people know the area is unlikely to be policed and just ignore the rules. I welcome any initiative to tackle this blatant disregard for the regulations.”

You can read the entire August Update HERE

05/08/2016
Two out of three for Thame Town Cricket Club

A very good weekend for Thame Town Cricket Club, July 30/31, with both the Firsts and Seconds winning their matches, though the Third team could not quite beat Division Nine leaders, Buckingham Fourths, to make up ground on them, but did manage a draw. MATCH REPORTS from Andy Jinman:

Sam Lachlan who top-scored for the 1sts and took one wicket

1st XI
THAME got back to their winning ways last Saturday, with a 94 run victory away at Cookham Dean. Thame won the toss and elected to bat on what looked like a decent track. Thame’s top order struggled as they were reduced to a familar 88 for 7 at lunch. Veteran Sam Lachlan however then scored 62, supported well by youngster Adam Phippen with 39, to get Thame to a well-above-par 194 all out in the 58th over. In reply Lachlan and Rooney both took early wickets, as Thame reduced Cookham to 66 for 5 at tea. Hassam Mushtaq then took 5 wickets, as Thame bowled Cookham Dean out for 110.

Thame entertain local rivals Aston Rowant this Saturday, August 6, in another crucial game.

2nd XI
The 2nd XI entertained Kingston Bagpuize Firsts knowing that only a win would be enough to keep them on top of Division Five of the Cherwell League.

After the visitors won the toss and chose to bat, Thame’s bowlers imposed their usual squeeze, led by Ian McStay (9-3-14-0) and captain Chris Jeffcock (8.4-1-22-2). They limited the visitors to 119 for 6 after 42 overs, with Ali Thomas taking key wickets (17-2-47-4). Thanks to 54 from G. Woodley and some big hits at the end, Kingston Bagpuize managed to reach a respectable but below-par 180 all out in the 52nd over. In reply, after the openers had gone cheaply, James Adams (67 not out) timed his innings perfectly, guiding Thame to 182 for 7 off 47 overs, with one over to spare. He was ably supported by Ed Barnett (28) and Ali Thomas (24 not out). Thame’s reward for the win was 25 points and a lead of 22 over Leighton Buzzard, as they go into a crucial game this Saturday, away to that same opposition.

3rd XI
The 3rd XI travelled to the top side Buckingham needing a win to close the gap on them, in their push for promotion. Thame won the toss and chose to bowl first and were soon causing problems for the home side’s batting at 36-4.

An 80 partnership then took the game to Thame, before another flurry of wickets ended the innings with Buckingham 160-9. John Phippen was the pick of the bowlers with 5-37, Nick Fuller impressed with 3-47 and Ed Mather took 1-39. In reply, Dave Saunders (45) and Ian Chappell (34) set Thame up for what looked like a good chase. However, the loss of Saunders saw a collapse, losing 7 for only 26 runs. With just 1 wicket left and 27 runs still needed and with the league situation hanging over them, Captain John Phippen (12 not out) went for the win. It was too big a task however and with tensions high between the two sides, Thame ended with a draw on 148-9.

05/08/2016