County 'likely to be on eco-town shortlist'
 |
| 'Weston Front': Tony Henman |
FEARS are growing that an eco town scheme in Oxfordshire will be on the shortlist of settlements soon to be announced by the Government.
Two separate schemes to build major eco towns near Kidlington and also at Weston-on-the-Green have been submitted to the Government.
And with villagers launching protest campaigns, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) warned that it was "likely" that one of the Oxfordshire schemes would be on the Government shortlist of 18 preferred bids.
It has now emerged that one of the bids seeks to create an eco town bigger than Bicester on farmland beside the A34.
The developer, Parkridge Holdings, wants to create an eco town, called Weston Otmoor, with 15,000 homes on more than 600 acres of farmland between Weston-on-the Green and the A34/ M40 junction.
Villagers, who have held two packed public meetings, have been anxiously attempting to get full details of the scheme. Tony Henman, the father of former British No 1 tennis player Tim, has helped create the Weston Front to oppose the plan.
There have been also calls for the local Cherwell district councillor, Neil Godwin, "to consider his position". As the owner of some of the land involved, there is now an intolerable conflict of interest, say villagers.
Mr Godwin this week confirmed that he had registered an interest.
Two bids from Oxfordshire were among more than 50 submitted to the Government, which is determined to build ten eco towns, with some of the sites expected to be announced in the summer.
Parkridge Holdings has been reluctant to release details of the Weston-on-the-Green scheme, preferring to wait for the Government announcement.
But The Oxford Times can today reveal the scale of the proposal for this self-sustained community. It would be built on both sides of the A34, stretching from Akeman Street in the north, to the railway line in the south.
A spokesman said the settlement could be served by a new rail link, which would allow residents to travel to Oxford, Milton Keynes and London without relying on cars. The settlement itself would be served by a tram service.
There are also proposals for a park-and-ride scheme to transfer passengers travelling to Oxford from the north on the new train line.
A spokesman for the company said: "The Government is likely to announce a shortlist of potential schemes in March. These will be subject to further consultation, testing and independent examination through the planning system. If Weston Otmoor is one of these shortlisted schemes, Parkridge will work with the local community and its representatives to develop proposals which are sympathetic to the local environment and to the needs of the existing community."
Cherwell District Council's executive expressed concern about the Weston-on-the-Green scheme and the other eco town proposal to build 5,000 homes at Shipton Quarry, a former cement works between Woodstock and Bicester.
A statement from the council said: "The two candidate locations offer some advantages, such as the reuse of previously developed land and the potential to improve public transport.
"But there are significant disadvantages, including adverse effects upon the Green Belt, effects upon rural roads, the impact on nature conservation sites, the loss of agricultural land and the impact on the regeneration of existing towns."
Tony Henman, who has lived in Weston-on-the-Green for 40 years, said: "The proposed settlement now extends much further to the east of the A34. We are talking about 550 to 600 acres but no one is quite sure.
"We still do not know whether central government or Cherwell and the county council will be involved in making the decision, or a combination of all three. This is quite extraordinary when we are talking about such a significant development."
Dr Helena Whall, campaign manager of CPRE Oxfordshire, said: "It is very likely that Oxfordshire will be on the shortlist, given the number has gone up to 18."
5:00pm Thursday 21st February 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: DanOxford on 9:01pm Thu 21 Feb 08
It's one thing to accept the loss of open space and green belt to help local people and families to have their own home. However, at immigration running at 25 times any previous level in British history, and the government having no plan for population limits, where will this concreting over end?
Mass immigration is already affecting us all and the claims that it is benefitting the Country economically have recently been dismissed by one of the government's own top advisors, as well as migrationwatch.
Building any of these new developments will not help British people while a million East Europeans alone have arrived recently.
Time to think about what kind of Country we want to live in.
It's one thing to accept the loss of open space and green belt to help local people and families to have their own home. However, at immigration running at 25 times any previous level in British history, and the government having no plan for population limits, where will this concreting over end?
Mass immigration is already affecting us all and the claims that it is benefitting the Country economically have recently been dismissed by one of the government's own top advisors, as well as migrationwatch.
Building any of these new developments will not help British people while a million East Europeans alone have arrived recently.
Time to think about what kind of Country we want to live in.
Posted by: julian on 11:29pm Thu 21 Feb 08
Good, you must admit -bloody great green field housing development on a scale never seen before, and its called an 'Eco town'. Ah NuLabour - dont you just love it?
Good, you must admit -bloody great green field housing development on a scale never seen before, and its called an 'Eco town'. Ah NuLabour - dont you just love it?
Posted by: Paul Morrison, Weston On The Green on 12:58pm Fri 22 Feb 08
Please also dont forget that Parkridge's proposal will encompass RAF Weston On The Green - the oldest continuously operational RAF airfield in the country and also home to Oxford Gliding Club, one of the oldest established gliding clubs in the country. Gliding is the epitome of an 'Eco-Friendly' sport with the club offering training to would be pilots of all ages and yet the irony of this appears to have been lost on the developers!
Please also dont forget that Parkridge's proposal will encompass RAF Weston On The Green - the oldest continuously operational RAF airfield in the country and also home to Oxford Gliding Club, one of the oldest established gliding clubs in the country. Gliding is the epitome of an 'Eco-Friendly' sport with the club offering training to would be pilots of all ages and yet the irony of this appears to have been lost on the developers!
Posted by: DanOxford, Oxford on 1:21pm Fri 22 Feb 08
[italic]Ten years from now, there will be 65 million people in the UK - an increase of five million - and by 2031, the population will be over 70 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Within a generation, immigration will add the equivalent of a city the size of London to the population.
This is the fastest growth rate since the post-war baby boom - and is far more rapid than the Government forecast just three years ago.
One campaign group accused the Government of conducting a ''vast unplanned experiment’’ with the country’s well-being.
Statisticians said at least 70 per cent of the population rise over the next 20 years will be attributable directly to immigration.
The rest will be babies born to British mothers - many of whom are second-generation immigrants.
The Government has recently revised its long-term forecasts for annual net immigration upwards by one third to 190,000.[/italic]
(http://www.telegrap
h.co.uk/news/main.jh
tml?xml=/news/2007/1
0/23/npopulation423.
xml)
Ten years from now, there will be 65 million people in the UK - an increase of five million - and by 2031, the population will be over 70 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Within a generation, immigration will add the equivalent of a city the size of London to the population.
This is the fastest growth rate since the post-war baby boom - and is far more rapid than the Government forecast just three years ago.
One campaign group accused the Government of conducting a ''vast unplanned experiment’’ with the country’s well-being.
Statisticians said at least 70 per cent of the population rise over the next 20 years will be attributable directly to immigration.
The rest will be babies born to British mothers - many of whom are second-generation immigrants.
The Government has recently revised its long-term forecasts for annual net immigration upwards by one third to 190,000.
(http://www.telegrap
h.co.uk/news/main.jh
tml?xml=/news/2007/1
0/23/npopulation423.
xml)
Posted by: Any Body, oxford on 1:53pm Fri 22 Feb 08
The reality is more houses are needed; not just for immigrants. Given that the British people have been movng and working abroad for hundreds of years when it suits them; it is somewhat hyprocritical to bemoan others that do the same.
If Mr Henman does not wish to see houses cluttering up his beautiful views and quiet roads; then perhaps he should move. He is probably in a much better financial situation then the people needing homes.
Talk about NIMBYISM gone mad. Have we really got to the point in society to-day where its ok for those already with homes to begrudge others having a roof over their heads.
The reality is more houses are needed; not just for immigrants. Given that the British people have been movng and working abroad for hundreds of years when it suits them; it is somewhat hyprocritical to bemoan others that do the same.
If Mr Henman does not wish to see houses cluttering up his beautiful views and quiet roads; then perhaps he should move. He is probably in a much better financial situation then the people needing homes.
Talk about NIMBYISM gone mad. Have we really got to the point in society to-day where its ok for those already with homes to begrudge others having a roof over their heads.
Posted by: DanOxford on 5:35pm Fri 22 Feb 08
'The Reality is...'
...that so long as this Country as no population policy; an open door immigration system and a significant number of people who shrug their shoulders and say that because some British people have emigrated it's only fair that the rest of us live in an overcrowded, over populated city/ Country, no amount of housebuilding is going to meet demand.
As I pointed out in my first post- giving up something to house people already here is one thing- watching the country concreted over for no discernible benefit to the majority quite another.
'The Reality is...'
...that so long as this Country as no population policy; an open door immigration system and a significant number of people who shrug their shoulders and say that because some British people have emigrated it's only fair that the rest of us live in an overcrowded, over populated city/ Country, no amount of housebuilding is going to meet demand.
As I pointed out in my first post- giving up something to house people already here is one thing- watching the country concreted over for no discernible benefit to the majority quite another.
Posted by: Lee Baker, London on 3:16pm Tue 25 Mar 08
I very much doubt that Eastern European builders and agricultural workers will be able to afford nice new eco-homes. Should this debate be muddied by thinly-veiled xenophobia? Shouldn't we instead focus our efforts on criticising the Government's willingness to bow down to developers?
I very much doubt that Eastern European builders and agricultural workers will be able to afford nice new eco-homes. Should this debate be muddied by thinly-veiled xenophobia? Shouldn't we instead focus our efforts on criticising the Government's willingness to bow down to developers?
Posted by: Oliver, Wantage on 5:03pm Thu 3 Apr 08
Does anyone know in more details about the proposal at Western Otmoor?
Does anyone know in more details about the proposal at Western Otmoor?
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
