Category: Thame news

THE Chilterns Conservation Board is teaming up with the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway to offer a unique wildlife watching experiences this Easter holiday. Just bring your binoculars and climb aboard!

On Saturday, April 6, take the chance to observe and identify wildlife as you travel by vintage train along the foot of the Chiltern Hills between Chinnor and Thame Junction (near Princes Risborough). Who knows what you might see on this seven mile round trip, but look out for red kites soaring overhead and maybe foxes, deer or hares in the neighbouring fields. Trips take place at 10.30am, 12 noon, 1.30pm and 3pm at Chinnor Station, Station Road, Chinnor. There is no need to pre-book, but for more information, call 07979 055 366.

The Board as also teamed with the Hobbs of Henley boatyard and on Tuesday, April 2, ?The Hibernia? will take you on a voyage of discovery to spot the hidden natural treasures of the Thames between Henley and Hambleden. A volunteer guide will help you identify what you see, which will include lots of water birds.

The 75 minute trip leaves at 3pm from Hobbs of Henley Boatyard, Station Road, Henley. Tickets cost

AS the news was breaking this evening that Pope Francis had been selected to replace the retiring Benedict XVI, a battle royal was taking place in the council chamber of South Oxfordshire District Council.

It was the people of Thame versus the Supermarket giant, Sainsbury. Supported in the main by the majority of the local agricultural fraternity, Sainsbury’s had applied for planning permission to demolish the Cattle Market buildings and Racquests sports club, and build a 3459 sq m supermarket with a ‘community centre’ building tagged on.

However, all council members of the district council’s Planning committee, bar one, voted to reject the application on the recommendation of it’s Senior Planning Officer, Michael Moore, reporting on one of his last cases before retirement.

Basically, the plan was rejected on the following grounds:

A) The proposed plan went against the policies of both the Local Plan and the Thame Neighbourhood Plan, that require a mixed use development.

B) The proposed design of the supermarket would be out of keeping with its surroundings and would therefore detract from ‘the character, appearance and setting in the locality.’ (next to Conservation area)

c) The development would involve the loss of a sport and social club with no alternative provision (against the adopted South Oxon Local Plan)

D) That the bulk of the development and general disturbance, noise and odour associated with it would negatively impact on neighbouring residents .

FULL REPORT TOMORROW – In the meantime, a recorded webcast will be available soon to view HERE

THE Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity (FNHC) will be launching this summer?s Gemstone Midnight Walk on Saturday, March 16, in Market Square, Aylesbury, 9am-4pm.

This is the fourth year for the Charity?s biggest fundraising event of the year, taking place on Saturday, July 13, in aid of the hospice’s essential in-patient and at-home services for local families affected by life-limiting illness. The last three events raised a combined total of over

SINCE stepping down as a Town Councillor, former Mayor of Thame, Brothers Hair Salons Director, Adam Buckland, has put his new found spare time to good use .

He has spent his recent cold, dark winter evenings creating three extra large, red noses for his salon windows in Thame, Oxford and Marlow. The noses are based on the three designs for this year?s Red Nose Day and are made from recycled Aveda boxes and red tissue paper from their Christmas gift sets to make the flowers. Each flower is made from six sheets of tissue paper with picture wire as the stem. Adam reckons that between the three noses he has made over 600 flowers!

Clients and passers-by are being invited to guess the number of flowers used to make the nose in each location for the cost of a

AFTER months of consultations and negotiations, a referendum will take place in Thame, on May 2, to decide if the town will adopt a document that will affect local planning decisions.

It is one of the first Neighbourhood Plans to reach this stage in the country having been given the green light by an independent examiner.

In December last year, South Oxfordshire District Council appointed Nigel McGurk to assess the plan. During this process, the examiner held a local hearing which was the first of its kind in the country.

Mr McGurk has now issued his report in which he confirmed the plan is in line with European and national guidance, conforms to South Oxfordshire’s planning policies and contributes to the objective of sustainable development.

In the report, Mr McGurk stated that ‘the Thame Neighbourhood Plan, having undergone an exemplary consultation process, sets out a clear and deliverable vision for the neighbourhood area’. He added: “I am delighted to recommend to South Oxfordshire District Council that, subject to the minor modifications proposed, the Thame Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a Referendum.”

Cllr Angie Paterson, cabinet member for planning at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “We join the examiner in congratulating Thame Town Council on this huge achievement. To be among the first in the country to reach this stage is an impressive feat. They’ve done a magnificent job and we would very much like to see this plan agreed and adopted. This is for the residents of Thame to decide and I hope the whole community will turn out to cast their votes.”

Cllr Nigel Champken-Woods Mayor of Thame Town Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Mr McGurk has given our plan the green light to go to referendum. We have worked extremely hard with the people of Thame to ensure the plan is sound as confirmed by the examiner and will benefit the town.”

Neighbourhood Planning was brought in as part of the Localism Act 2011. It allows communities to establish policies to shape future developments in their local areas. It will complement the policies in the district council?s Core Strategy which was adopted in December last year.

If the district council accepts the recommendations made by the examiner, every registered voter within the parish of Thame will be asked the following question at a referendum on 02 May 2013: “Do you want South Oxfordshire District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Thame to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

Should most voters vote in support of the plan, the district council will bring it into force. It then carries legal weight in planning decisions.

You can access the full Examiner’s report HERE

HERE is the latest Thame neighbourhood update from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Jacky Madden. The Thame Sector covers the neighbourhoods of Thame, Chinnor and Watlington.

Anti-social Behaviour (ASB)

We have had reports that some young people are door knocking in Thame and this is causing alarm and distress. If the offenders are identified they will be dealt with accordingly. There has also been an increased amount of graffiti in the Thame area. Please call the police non-emergency number 101 if you have any information.

We have also had reports of groups of young people gathering in the Towersey Social Club car park late at night. It seems there is a lot of noise in the form of shouting and revving vehicle engines and this is disturbing local residents. This location will be patrolled and suitable action taken if appropriate.

Traffic Issues

Further patrols to monitor vehicles parking in restricted areas of Watlington town centre continue. PCSOs have advised the Parish Council to refresh the double yellow lines so that they can be pro-actively enforced in the area. Warning letters are being issued to educate some offenders.

There have been reports of vehicles speeding out of Thame Town Centre. This will be monitored as it is a concern due to road traffic and community safety.

Good News

Thame Road, Chinnor has been regularly monitored with regards to the parking concerns outside the local shops. We are pleased to report that after local engagement with the shop owners and residents, alternative parking has been found and has eased parking congestion in this location.

Offenders Brought to Justice

16 offenders were brought to justice in February for a variety of offences including public order, shoplifting, criminal damage, theft and drug possession.

The full monthly report can be read HERE

Remember, you can follow the Community team on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and there is also the option to subscribe to Thames Valley Police RSS feeds from our website – www.thamesvalley.police.uk.

AGE UK Oxfordshire have started up fun activity groups for people aged over 50, including an Art Appreciation Course and Singing for Fun.

So, if you’re over 50, why not go along to draw and paint under instruction in a relaxed and sociable environment? It costs

FOLLOWING yesterday’s news that Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan has been approved and can now go forward to a referendum, the Examiner’s report is now available to the public.

The full statement, including Mr McGurk’s amendments, can be found on South Oxfordshire District Council’s website here: www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/planning-policy/neighbourhood-plans/thame-neighbourhood-pl

Most of the amendments are generally minor and technical but there are some interesting changes regarding cycling provision, including the much-campaigned for Cycle path between Thame and Haddenham and Thame Parkway railway station.

The section of housing allocations explains why representations against some of the preferred sites for housing, were rejected by the Examiner.

The referendum for Thame parish residents to vote for or against the plan, will be on May 2, at the same time as the Oxfordshire County Council elections.

NEW divisions for County Council Election

There will 63 county councillors being elected to represent 61 divisions. Most divisions will have one county councillor but two divisions will have two county councillors. One is Thame & Chinnor Division and the other is Grove & Wantage Division.

These changes are the result of a review undertaken by the Local Government Boundary Commission.

THAMES Valley Police recovered two stolen caravans in Middle Ground, Wheatley, at 11.20am yesterday (5/3).

One caravan had been stolen on October 25, 2012, from Hanslope, Milton Keynes and the other one was stolen on January 1, 2012, from Lutterworth, Leicestershire

Sgt Graham Pink, based at Henley police station, said: ?We received some information in regard to the caravans and when we visited the site we recovered the two caravans.

?I would like to remind caravan owners to make a serious effort to secure their caravan by using wheel locks, tow hitch locks, fixed posts and anchor points.

?We will now look to reunite the caravans with their owners.?

THE outcome of a controversial planning application for a large supermarket on Thame’s Cattlemarket site, will be decided by district councillors at their next meeting later this month.

The application, for the demolition of existing buildings on the site and their replacement with a large supermarket, includes the provision of a community centre and landscaping work.

Planning Officers however, are to recommend to South Oxfordshire District Council’s Planning Committee, that they refuse planning permission to the applicant, Sainsbury’s.

The planning committee will consider this application on March 13, at 6pm in the council chamber at South
Oxfordshire District Council, Council Offices, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8NJ.

A copy of the Planning Officer’s report can be viewed on SODC’s website at http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/ (Though not at the moment – the link is currently unavailable but try again later) – search for ‘meetings and agendas’ and click on planning committee from the list.

You can view the whole planning application, including accompanying documentation which itself includes some fascinating historical and archaeological information about the site, HERE

Anyone wishing to speak at this meeting, must contacting Mrs Claridge at the council, using the email below, in writing by 12 noon on March 12, 2013:
public.speaking@southoxon.gov.uk