Didcot North East’s developer is Croudace Homes. Along side the planned development of between 1800 and 2030 houses, they will deliver two new primary schools, one new secondary school, a new £15m leisure centre with “Olympic size pool” and outdoor sports pitches. As well as extensive new road infrastructure. There is also a massive obligation to ‘fix’ the site with regards to flooding and re-routing of utilities. Finally, there is also a massive ‘section 106 / CIL’ agreement which will see significant funds being created to help with all manner of public services.

The Green Gap’s developer is Grainger plc. Along side their speculative inner city style development of 170 dwellings, they will deliver a new bus stop and some tree stumps for kids to play on. That’s it. They offer no solution to primary schooling for the new residents. They even intend to brazenly adopt the small play park on Fleet Meadow for their purposes! There is only an obligation on the Developer to create no additional water run off on their site, so Fleet Meadow can expect years more flooding. To be fair there will be a section 106 / CIL agreement but the scale of this development means that the contributions will be token.

Didcot North East is (largely) on land owned by Reading University who will sell to SODC. It is being developed by Croudace.

The Green Gap is on land owned by Grainger (who presumably will not sell to SODC but who stand to make a huge profit through the change of use from agriculture to housing). Grainger may or may not actually develop the site, but they are 100% certain to profit massively from the development.

The Didcot North East development is for the greater good of Didcot (and yes we expect Croudace to make money on the deal.)

The Green Gap is currently for the greater good of Didcot but the development will rob Didcot and East Hagbourne of this valuable amenity and serve only to yield speculative and spectacular profits for Newcastle based Grainger.

Didcot North East is currently lowest quality agricultural land.

The Green Gap is currently the highest quality agricultural land.

Didcot North East is a scheme being welcomed by everyone in Didcot. (The only issue seems to be whether the Wave should remain open following its completion.)

The Green Gap is a scheme being welcomed by no one.

Didcot North East is in SODC 2012 Core Strategy.

The Green Gap is not.

Didcot North East must happen.

The Green Gap must not.