Category: More News

RECENT changes in National Planning Guidance,  are undermining the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. 

This was a view expressed at a recent meeting between Thame Town Council and various Residents Associations, to review the progress of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. 

The changes have meant that office buildings can be converted for residential use, without formal planning consent, as was the case of the 46 additional dwellings to the 775 agreed in the TNP, at the old Angus Fire Armour building, recently given planning consent to be turned into apartments.

Discussing so-called ‘Windfall sites’, the council reported in its draft Monitoring and Delivery report that it expects more planning changes from the Government this year, including allowing for shops to be converted into residential without planning permission. However, it is expected that this will exclude Conservation Areas, of which most of Thame town centre is, so should have limited effect.

The Government has advised that permitted development will also be extended to allow agricultural buildings up to 450 sqm to be changed, to provide up to three new homes. This may therefore result in further development in the Thame Parish area which includes a number of farms.

The draft report stated that there continues to be a number of ‘windfall’ sites coming forward for planning permission, that the council stated “will be considered and assessed” in the context of the TNP policies and the adopted Local Plan. (Thame Town Council has asked the Minister, Nick Boles whether ‘windfall sites’, that is those not planned for, but which come forward for planning permission during the period eg ‘in-fill’ on private land, may be counted in Thame’s allocation. But he had to date not responded.)

Bob Austin, who represents Towersey Road Residents Association, said that he felt these windfalls were: “….substantially altering the Neighbourhood Plan in regard to infrastructure. It is entirely feasible that the number of dwellings required of Thame could increase by a third and the subsequent increase in the population all adding to the pressures on the town.

“We’re being dumped on!” he added.

In response, Jake Collinge, the town council’s Planning Advisor, said: “No one could argue with what you have said.” He then went on to explain how CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) payments, soon to replace developer contributions via Section 106 agreements, may be used to fund new community facilities through community loans, or used to provide for things like extra parking. At present, developer contributions do not materialise until after detailed planning permission has been granted.

THE people of Moreton, in the parish of Thame, are becoming more litter conscious it seems, if the amount of rubbish collected during the latest Moreton Muck Out is anything to go by.

Having run annually for a number of years now, the amount of trash collected during yesterday’s event was less than in previous years.

“This is good news,” said Sue Martin Downhill, who is organising Thame Tidy Day, and helped out in Moreton yesterday, “as it means that people are generally more aware of picking up their own litter and it isn’t a’ growing’ problem any more. Let’s hope the Thame Tidy Days are having the same effect! “

Tina Fegent and Ken Burch , who lead the Moreton Muck Out, said: ” ‘Thank you’ to all the litter pickers yesterday. We picked up a fair amount as you can see from the attached photo.

“Thank you to Rosemary for organising the refreshments and Louise, Sally and Aila for the cakes. Also thanks to Sue who is organising both the Tidy Up Thame Day and the Thame Carnival, for lending ‘elbow support’ in tidying up the War Memorial which is due to also be cleaned this year as well, by Thame Town Council.”

Thame Tidy Day is on May 11. Full details and information on how to be involved, can be found HERE 

THESE are three of the criminal matters that Thame’s Community Policing team were kept busy dealing with during the last month, as reported in the lasted Thame Sector, Neighbourhood team news letter.

PCSO Diane Jackson reports that the public toilets by the Market Place car park, and those in the public library, will be closely monitored and any issues dealt with accordingly, following acts of criminal damage to the toilet seats and toilet roll holders and cannabis smoking.

The report warns parents who continue parking on double yellow lines outside local schools: “These restrictions are in place to help to keep the area safe for children, so please do not park on them,” say officers. “These areas will be monitored by PCSOs and offenders will be dealt with accordingly.”

In Chinnor, a couple of BMW cars which have had their door locks drilled out. PCSOs have delivered crime reduction leaflets to BMW owners in the area so that they are aware and can be vigilant.

To read the full report, visit: LINK

A man who can be found mowing the village green or rodding the village drains, has been presented with a High Sheriff Award for outstanding services to community life in the village of Sydenham. The award was presented at a special ceremony at County Hall.

Paul Stancliffe, Chairman of Sydenham Parish Council, has lived in the village for over 40 years and has been a member of the Parish Council for 34 years, 27 of those years as Chairman. According to villagers: “Paul is a well respected, modest and extremely valued member of the community. The following achievements are a real reflection of an outstanding man who is very much an “unsung hero” in the village.

“Paul takes great pride in the village and can be seen cutting the grass in the churchyard and village green. He does a myriad of minor tasks of which no one is aware. Paul attends and photographically records virtually every event in the village so that there is a good historical record of what has happened in Sydenham over many years. He Chairs and is a Trustee of The Munday Charity which was set up to help the poor of Sydenham, and is also Chair of the village newsletter committee. In 2004 Paul was active in helping the village to win the Newcomer Award in The Small Villages section of the Calor Gas Best Kept Village competition. “

After the Parish Council bought the redundant telephone kiosk from BT, Paul single handedly converted it into a village information centre. The clever use of the facilities offered by the kiosk received an award in BT Payphone’s Adopt a Kiosk Competition in 2009.

Paul’s perseverance and persuasion resulted in Southern Electric undergrounding their cables over 10 years ago. This was a major investment by Southern Electric of some £250,000 and resulted in a big reduction in the number of power cuts. This was followed by investment from BT and the Parish Council that enabled all the telegraph poles in the centre of Sydenham, which is a conservation area, to be removed. Paul actively led the project for the whole time and would not have happened without his tenacity and it was a major personal achievement.

“Most of all, for over 30 years Paul has been tireless in his efforts to rectify a major issue with flooding and sewage issues in Sydenham and other villages nearby. As a result of the support that he engendered from the local MP, John Howel,l he has managed to get a commitment from Thames Water for a major investment in upgrading the sewage and drainage system costing £1.6m which is starting in April. After a record-breaking wet winter and copious episodes of flooding in the village with groundwater from the sewers pouring out of the manholes, this upgrade cannot come soon enough.”

Alison Isherwood  nominated Paul for the award on behalf of the Parish Council. Of Paul she said: “We are absolutely thrilled for Paul that his unstinting commitment to all aspects of village life has been recognised by this award. During the recent episodes of flooding Paul, with his extensive knowledge of the village infrastructure, could be seen rodding blocked drains to help clear floodwater which was causing problems to village property. He is a highly respected and very warmly regarded member of the village community”.

ANYONE walking through Greyhound Walk, in Thame, on Saturday, would have found themselves stepping over a line of coins that grew steadily thoughout the day, and hopefully felt compelled to join in with Thame Lions Club’s annual ‘Mile of Coins’ to raise money for local charities.

This year’s proceeds, which amounted to £520, will be shared between Staying Alive Thame, and Lighthouse, Thame. Ken Bennell, who is this year’s Lions’ Vice President, explained: “The staying alive charity is organised by Patsy and Karen from the Barns centre and their aim is to have defibrillators at various locations around the town, and the Lighthouse charity provides a summer school for local children for one week during the school holidays.

Patsy Baker from the Barns Centre took along a demonstration defibrillator to explain how they work and how they save lives. Mike Hill, Chairman of Lighthouse Thame, also spent some time at the event, both he and Patsy answering further questions from passers by as to the activities of Staying Alive Thame and Lighthouse Thame. Ken Bennell, this year’s Vice President had the lovely, sticky task of removing the coins from the masking tape at the end of the day. He explained the aims the Thame Lions:

“Thame lions have been raising funds for mainly local charities for 35 years and over the years have helped many local causes, organised local events and helped the local community by providing manpower for events such as Music in the Park, as well as for the fair car parking and also the food festival car parking,” he said. “Discos for the disabled are a regular, yearly event and and also a barn dance is held each year.

“Recently a shed was provided for the Princes Centre in Princes Risborough. Over the years Thomley hall has benefited from our fundraising as well as Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, and Dogs for the Disabled, Bucks Vision and the Oxfordshire Association for the Blind have also benefited.

“The Lions, like a lot of organisations, are a bit short on manpower and welcome new members both male and female, who would like to give something back to the community. “

If you are interested in joining Thame Lions, or initialy attending one of the club’s twice monthly meetings, then contact Ken Bennell on 01844 261269.

THE M40 has a lane blocked northbound for resurfacing works between junctions six and seven (Watlington to Thame), following a dramatic coach fire early this morning. The closure is expected to be ongoing for rest of today.

Crews from Thame, Wheatley and Stokenchurch, along with a water carrier from Wheatley were called just before 0600 to a report of a coach on fire on the M40 just north of Junction six. When firecrews arrived, the coach was completely on fire and fuel was flowing along the motorway.

“Initially fire crews worked to stop the fire spreading until the arrival of the water carrier when they were then able to use large volumes of water to put the coach fire out completely, ” reported Andy Ford from Thame Fire Station. “The motorway for closed for some time,” he added.

“With such an established fire, initially fire-fighters managed to contain the fire from spreading, including stopping flowing fuel that was on fire from entering the drains and setting alight to adjacent trees. There are lots of hazards we face with a coach fire, compressed air tanks were popping and tyres bursting, which makes it quite dangerous to get too close and why the whole motorway had to be closed for everyone’s safety. Once our water tanker arrived we could then completely dowse the fire.”

FIRE crews from Thame and Wheatley along with specialist rescue unit from Kidlington, attended an Road Traffic Collision on the A329, near Great Milton, this morning.

Two cars had collided head on. One female was very seriously hurt and was treated on scene by an Air ambulance paramedic and doctors. Three other people, a woman and two 12 year old girls travelling in the other car were cut free by Fire crews using specialist equipment, working with Paramedics and doctors on scene.

“This was a horrific collision,” said Andy Ford, Watch Officer at Thame Fire Station. “The young girls were extremely shook up by the accident and were suffering some injuries from the crash, but thankfully, were wearing their seatbelts which definitely saved them for more serious injuries or worse. All three were also taken to hospital.

“It’s so important to wear seatbelts as highlighted today. It’s also a reminder to drivers to be aware of the road conditions when again, we are seeing a change in the weather.”