The Elms applications withdrawn from planning agenda

A set of planning applications relating to a proposed housing development and a public park in Thame,  have been withdrawn from the agenda of a planning committee, following a site meeting yesterday (April 21).

Meadow land at ‘The Elms’ where a development of 37 new homes is proposed

The decision to withdraw from the agenda plans for 37 houses at The Elms, in Upper High Street, Thame, and associated ‘improvements’ to Elms Park next door, was announced yesterday afternoon. The reasons given by the planning authority, South Oxfordshire District Council, were that there were incorrect and/or insufficient plans attached to the (planning officer’s ?) report issued to planning committee members; that planning committee members had requested further clarification on comments from English Heritage (EH) and that, following the planning committee site visit, committee members had requested a further site visit with access to neighbouring properties to view the applications from those sites.

A spokesperson for SODC, said: “The planning committee meeting will still go ahead tomorrow (April 22) at the scheduled time and other applications will be discussed, but the above three applications will not now feature.

Once all three of requirements have been satisfied, a new planning committee date will be set to discuss The Elms applications.

The email sent out to interested parties announcing the change of agenda, apologised for any inconvenience caused and concluded: “I want to reassure you that we carefully consider any decision to withdraw an application from a planning committee. However, we are satisfied it is warranted in these circumstances to ensure that the planning committee members have all the information they need to make a considered decision.”

You can view the Planning applications P14/S2176/FUL and P14/S2395/LB and the plans for Elms Park P14/S2310/O on SODC’s website (Click on links)

This proposal has proved to be a controversial one ever since it was included in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan, and has since attracted over 2,000 signatures to a petition to have it removed. The Planning Committee meeting today was expected to have been a lively affair, with district council committee members having to decide between accepting the recommendation of its Planning Officer to permit the development, and opposition from Thame Town Council which is not satisfied that it complies with parts of the Neighbourhood Plan, and a vociferous group of Thame residents who oppose the development of The Elms altogether.

You can read past reports and correspondence from local people concerning the history of The Elms proposals, HERE