Many of you will have seen that SODC’s Planning Officer has decided to recommend that the Planning Committee approve Grainger’s speculative planning application on Wednesday 18^th May.

So why has that happened and does it matter?

Let’s start by recognising that Planning Officers are under pressure. Their job in life is to help development happen. Just as we all want the Planners to help our kitchen extensions get approval, so developers have a right to similarly positive assistance. Officers also have to contend with government policy directives to get more housing approved.

That the Officer has therefore recommended Grainger’s application for approval comes as little surprise. In fact with the benefit of material we have managed to get released under the Freedom of Information Act, it has been pretty clear that the Officer has been minded this way for a very long time.

What is so disappointing however is that the whole process of “consultation” has been shown up to be a complete and utter sham. As well as being a huge and hugely disrespectful waste of residents’ time.

Continue reading →

SODC have confirmed that Grainger’s application will be heard next week. 6pm on Wednesday 18th May at Didcot Civic Hall. 

The Planning Committee has the authority to approve or refuse Grainger’s application. There are many complicated planning arguments for the Committee to consider, but one big political issue.

Are the members prepared to ignore the views of their constituents?

A sea of faces at the Civic Hall on the 18th will show the Committee how much we care. A large turnout of residents will give it the moral authority it needs to support its community. A conspicuous local presence will urge them to show this outside speculative developer the door.

Please attend the meeting on the 18th and show them how much you care.

There’s more information about the big day on the Object page of the website.

Spread the word! And Save the Green Gap.

Grainger has submitted revised drawings for the road layout of its scheme. It has also submitted a ‘Supplementary Road Safety Audit’.

SODC did not feel it necessary to consult with the community about these amendments. This is despite serious and well founded concerns about road safety.

They did however ask the Campaign, East Hagbourne Parish Council and Didcot Town Council for their views. Not surprisingly both Councils have reaffirmed their objections. And so have we.

You can read our letter of objection here.

While SODC have not asked the community for its views there’s nothing to stop you letting them know what you think. SODC’s consultation website is here.

New Road East Hagbourne

This week Didcot Town Council’s Planning Committee has again voted unanimously to oppose Grainger’s application.

Didcot Town Council had previously objected to the development as it closed the gap separating Didcot and the village of East Hagbourne. Now, after reviewing the latest set of plans they have confirmed their existing objection and added a further objection based on serious road safety concerns.

Continue reading →

We’ve heard a lot of about the hundreds of objections that Grainger’s application has attracted. We’ve not heard much about the 1 or 2 who are in support. Largely, because they are just that – literally one or two.

In the last the couple of days a new statement from a local resident that could be seen to be in support of the proposal has appeared on SODC’s application web site.

However, even this support is caveated with provisos. The purpose of this response is not to fall out with the local resident – everyone is entitled to his or her views – but actually to suggest that we share many of their concerns. We happen to feel, passionately, that Grainger’s scheme does not provide a sustainable and viable solution to them. Continue reading →

The Green Gap is in the news again. This week’s Oxfordshire Guardian features an article about the hundreds of Town and Village residents that have objected to Grainger’s speculative plans. Well done everybody. It’s good to heard.

It’s little wonder that the press remain interested. This is much more than a local issue. It’s about SODC’s credibility.

SODC has made repeated assurances to protect the district from speculative development. It’s unveiled a Garden Town concept that promises a green and pleasant Didcot. And both its own and OCC’s experts have raised serious concerns about Grainger’s plans.

Yet we still have no clear commitment from SODC that it will join us in our fight to save the Green Gap.

We will be writing to our council Officers and senior Members. We’ll remind them how Grainger’s plan is both unsound and unwelcome. We’ll remind them too that only a planning refusal and clear commitment to fight Grainger will leave their credibility intact.

The Green Gap will NOT now be discussed at the Planning Meeting on 27th April.

SODC has said it requires more time to complete the Officer’s report that will be presented to Councillors. SODC are ‘targeting 18th May’. We’ll let you know if and when this firms up.

The April date always did seem a little optimistic.

Grainger’s current access proposal falls well short of OCC’s requirements. SODC’s own Landscape Officer has unequivoably stated that new or additional LVIA work would be required should the proposals at and around the front of the site change materially (which they have). And the shortly to be curtailed bus service voids Grainger’s already dubious Traffic Assessment.

These, and many other unresolved and contended issues in Grainger’s plan surely require them to re-submit their proposal so that the community can again assess its value.

We’ve written to SODC to make clear that now, more than ever, is not the time to wash through Grainger’s speculative proposal.

We’re in extra time but the game is far from over.

We are moving, slowly, towards the business end. Its all going to get technical. Very technical. Not least as SODC has just managed to lose to two planning appeals this week. One was on a site at Wallingford, the other was at Chinnor. Developers will be lighting cigars with fifty pound notes. Thinking that what is bad news for the good people of Wallingford and Chinnor will be bad news for everyone in South Oxfordshire.

However, there is no inevitability about planning decisions. Rule One: each planning decision must be judged on its own merits.  Continue reading →