Cherwell Council Ignores Residents and Approves Local Review Plan

​

The 7th September was a dark day for local democracy as Cherwell District Council led by Barry Wood pushed through adoption of its local plan Partial review (Oxford's Unmet Need). We thank all the local Councillors – Carmen, Conrad, Ian, Katherine and Maurice for speaking up for us and voting against.  All the affected Parish Councils have been magnificent on our behalf. Sadly, all our efforts were ignored.

​

Summing up,   Cllr Colin Clarke, Lead member for Planning confirmed that the council “always accepted the local plan would not be to the liking of everyone and I acknowledge that the residents of Kidlington, Begbroke and Yarnton would be affected by these proposals”.

​

Yes, it’s true.  Cherwell Council set out to deliberately ignore the fierce opposition from local and national campaign groups. They have betrayed the trust of every local resident who took part in the public consultation. Not a single modification – not one – was made to the plan as a result of public feedback. They did, though, add even more houses in the Green Belt to accommodate the 400+ houses the Planning Inspector thought might blight the setting of Blenheim Palace.  So, for example, the Yarnton site to the west of the A44 will be extended further into the Green Belt, as will the land behind Water Eaton Lane which will now be developed almost all the way to Kidlington roundabout. The ‘Kidlington Gap’ will effectively be closed.

​

All of the 4,400 extra Oxford City homes will be located in the Green Belt. It seems doubtful that any of the ‘affordable’ houses will be available for Cherwell residents as they are being reserved for the City Council and the University. The proposals will however transform Begbroke, Yarnton and Kidlington from self-contained settlements within, and protected by, the Oxford Green Belt into outward extensions of Oxford.

​

Cherwell Council has abandoned our rural communities to be engulfed into Oxford’s Sprawl. The treasure that is the North Oxford Golf club and its thousands of mature trees will be lost, all to provide housing for the university’s expansion.  [The Club is in Cherwell District not Oxford City as might be expected.] The Council’s press release has the gall to claim that “The Plan will bring significant benefits to the south of Cherwell district" allowing us to "readily connect to Oxford and access its services and places of work".  Improved transport links???? Closing Sandy Lane and Yarnton road is never for our benefit.

​

Barry Wood, Leader of the Council went so far as to say the public were deluded to believe they could influence planning decisions via the democratic system.  Planning decisions, he again claimed, are actually a QUASI LEGAL matter.  In fact that is simply an abdication of his and his Council’s responsibilities to its electors.

​

The Begbroke & Yarnton Green Belt Campaign, Kidlington Development Watch (to whose Linda Ward I am grateful for the copy of this announcement) and the Cherwell Development Watch Alliance amongst others have therefore been working to put together a legal challenge. We believe that the adoption of the local plan is flawed and hope that it may be overthrown via Judicial Review.  At the time of writing, we are fine tuning the case with the help of a top barrister. We have pledges to fund most of the legal fees and are campaigning to raise the rest. Yes, it’s a costly long shot but it’s the only redress left to us. Once our Green Belt is gone, it is gone forever. Please support us for the sake of future generations.

​

Visit www.ourgreenbelt.uk or KidlingtonDW.org.uk for details.

​

Giles Lewis.