Author: Sonja Francis

THAME’S MP met with leaders of local Thame residents? groups on Saturday, 29/05/10, to discuss the decision of the district council to postpone its Core Strategy ? the document which sets out details of housing development in the district ? until the new Government introduces fundamental reforms to the planning system later in the year.

In a statement today, John Howell MP, whose planning policy paper, Open Source Planning, underpins the principles of the proposed reforms, outlined the change which would occur whereby centrally imposed targets would be replaced by a bottom-up approach involving local councils and local communities in deciding the numbers of new homes best suited to their locations.

John said: “Thame now has a unique opportunity. It needs to draw a line under the past and begin serious work on its own vision for the town for the years ahead. While there is a lot of information available, it needs to recognise that this work needs to be done to a high professional standard. It is essential that the town pulls all this together and that it sits down with the district council in a collaborative way now that the council is freed from having to impose the Government?s housing numbers. What we don?t want is to be facing similar confrontation down the line when the new planning system is in place.”

The group, represented by Lea Park, Chiltern Vale and other housing estates within Thame, discussed the need to push for the production of an Area Action Plan for the town which would look at Thame?s needs as a whole rather than just housing. This could accommodate long-standing issues such as parking and the need for improved physical and social infrastructure.

The group will now take its case to the town council for a professional steering group to take the town?s own plan forward to include the town council, local residents and other groups such as 21st Century Thame.

John Howell concluded: “In the recent SayNoto850 campaign, residents had been fighting the South East Plan, for another 850 houses to be built in Thame in the next 15 years. Now they can concentrate on working with the local district and town council to develop the services, housing and businesses to support a thriving market town.”

Oxfordshire residents, including many in Thame, are set to be without some TV channels until September following a fire at the Beckley transmitter last week.

The damaged antenna, specially designed and constructed in Australia is, it was revealed today, to be beyond repair and will need to be replaced.

Up to 410,00 people lost their TV signal for around eight hours last Thursday, May 13, after the fire broke out and engineers switched transmission to a reserve antenna.

IMAGE Courtesy of http://thetyee.cachefly.net

THAME Residents Asssociations are asking why SODC is pushing so hard to complete its future housing strategy, and has questioned a lack of promised communication.

A Spokesperson for the SayNoto850 Homes campaign, said today: “Although SODC promised to keep the Thame Residents Associations informed of any developments following the petition SayNoto850 New Houses, the Associations were only alerted of the next stage of the process through a news item on ThameNews.Net
last week.

“SODC appears to be pressing ahead with this Core Strategy despite the recent change of Government and their likely rethink of planning structures.

“Everyone on the policy consultation database apparently should receive information about the consultation.”

John Howell, Thame’s MP, has agreed to meet with the joint Thame Residents Associations this Saturday, May 30, and the Associations will be asking whether the new Government intends to continue with this South East plan and if not whether this haste is due to pressure from various developers wanting to push through the process before the planning structure is changed.

This Core Strategy is to cover the period between 2012 and 2026 and has arisen from the previous Labour Government?s South East Plan which they published on May 6, 2009. It is a Regional Spatial Strategy which was intended to establish the Government?s planning and transport policy for the south east of England until the year 2026.

SODC STATEMENT

In a statement today, headed: “Council’s vision for South Oxfordshire is nearing its final stages,” SODC said:

“At its meeting on Thursday 3 June, South Oxfordshire District Council?s Cabinet will consider the local development framework core strategy, one of the council?s most important planning documents for the next 15 years. This key plan aims help deliver much needed housing, high quality jobs and thriving town centres across the district. Cabinet will decide whether to recommend submitting the plan to the Secretary of State for approval.

“In the core strategy, following three years work and district-wide public consultation exercises, the council has identified the preferred locations for development and where significant change should not take place.

“The council’s primary aim is to protect the environment, meet the needs and aspirations of its residents, support business development (particularly in and around Science Vale UK) and by designating Didcot as a Growth Point, place the bulk of the housing development there.

“The plan sets out some limited development in Henley, Thame and Wallingford to help revitalise and reinforce their roles as market towns. In the larger villages, some development would be allowed to help limit decline and make them strong enough to sustain day-to-day services.”

Angie Paterson, South Oxfordshire District Council?s Cabinet member for planning, added:

?Without it (the core strategy), we?d be left without any up to date planning policy as our local plan expires in 2011. This could potentially lead to planning by appeal – where major development proposals are promoted in inappropriate locations. I don?t think this is something anyone would want.

?The core strategy has been prepared under the regulations set out by the previous government. Given that the reform of the planning system has been included in the coming session of parliament we may wish to review parts of the strategy in accordance with this but obviously it is early days.?

TIMETABLE

The timetable for the Core Strategy is as follows:-

Proposed Submission Core Strategy is due to be considered by the Scrutiny Committee on June 1, followed by the SODC Cabinet on June 3, and Full Council on June 17. If the Proposed Submission Core Strategy is approved by SODC on June 17, then there will be a formal six week Pre-Submission consultation between June 25 and August 6, 2010.

PHOTO: The red area on the map shows SODC’s preferred site for a housing development. For all news items referring to this topic, put “core strategy” in the Search box, top right of page.