Developers ‘riding rough-shod’ over Thame

FOCUSING on a debacle between Thame Town Council and a developer who wants to convert Thame’s old police station into sheltered apartments for the elderly, a Thame Councillor has criticised the government over its National Planning Policy Framework.

An artist’s impression of the proposed apartment block, formerly Thame Police Station

Speaking during a discussion about the proposal at a town council meeting on Tuesday (02/09), Town and District Cllr Mike Welply, said: “This matter indicates the great problem we now have in this country because of the way the National Planning Policy Framework gives developers a much bigger say. We have got our plan (the Thame Neighbourhood Plan) and it seems that the developers are ‘running rough-shod’ over the people of this town.”

Thame Town Council is unhappy about a developer’s appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, against a refused application to turn the old police station in Greyhound Lane into these sheltered apartments for the elderly.

The town council feels that the planning authority, South Oxfordshire District Council, did not include in its objections to the plan, all Thame’s concerns about aspects of the plan that it feels would provide a poor quality of living for potential residents, such as the layout of apartments, outlook and amenity space. It also feels that there has been a lack of consultation both with the town council itself and the people of the town. So, Thame Town Council has written to The Planning Inspectorate to support SODC’s decision to refuse the application and to reinforce the objections with its own.

In the letter, the town council states: “The proposed scheme has not been the subject of any meaningful public consultation, and certainly not in the evolution of the design proposals. Instead, the appellant held an exhibition where detailed, pre-prepared design proposals were presented to the Town Council and others as a fait accompli. There has been no meaningful discussion, review or dialogue at any stage. This approach is contrary to the policies outlined and a significant frustration to the Town Council given the principles embodied in both the production and content of the Neighbourhood Plan, and the active and positive approach the Council has, and is, taking with all other major sites in the town (notwithstanding the Town Council’s view that the principle of the development is unacceptable given the employment-based constraints to re-development).”

The Public Enquiry is expected to take place in late 2014 – early 2015. See previous report ‘Mayor accuses developer of ‘bullying’ the council’ LINK