‘How easily the Thame Neighbourhood Plan has been overridden’

Dear Editor,  I am writing to raise awareness of how easily the Thame Neighbourhood Plan has been overridden as I do not think that the majority of residents of Thame are aware. It is disappointing that the plan has been deviated from at such an early stage and should bring in to question its validity. 

South Oxfordshire District Council approved a planning application (P14/S1347/FUL) for the development of two new industrial units on land at Cotmore Well Farms (opposite the DAF site on the ring road, alongside the Phoenix Track) on 27th August 2014. This is site B on the plan and allocated for employment but the planning application that has been approved is 50% larger than the area allocated for employment on this site on the Thame Neighbourhood Plan.

In June Thame Town Council recommended this application be approved despite the fact the proposals are contrary to the plan. Thame Town Council list the benefits of the development on the homepage of their website but fail to highlight this is a deviation from their plan.

The Plan allocated three hectares of land for employment on the Cotmore Wells site, the development now approved comprises of 4.6 hectares for the development and 2.3 for drainage and ecological mitigation, a total area of 6.9 hectares.

In my opinion, the large vacant industrial sites that exist in Thame should be developed in preference to greenfield land and why industrial units are being converted into flats when fields are being destroyed for industry is beyond me, this aside I want the residents of Thame to be aware that the Neighbourhood plan is not worth the paper on which it is written.

A Conrad, Thame

ED. The SODC Planning Committee Report here sets out the reasons for recommending approval of this application, over the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. http://democratic.southoxon.gov.uk/documents/