New plans for The Elms – just one of the challenges ahead for Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan

ALTHOUGH Planning permission has been granted to Rectory Homes for 37 dwellings on land at The Elms, work has not yet started and Rectory Homes has recently held pre-application discussions with South Oxfordshire District Council on alternative proposals to provide 80-85 care-provided retirement apartments for the over 60s.

But, such a development would not conform with the Thame Neighbourhood Plan, which came into effect two years ago, and Thame Town Council has said that it would be unlikely to support any such plan.

Other potential threats to the Neighbourhood Plan

This proposal is just one of the aspects of the TNP identified in the recently published, Thame Neighbourhood Plan Monitoring and Delivery Report.  Of particular concern to the town council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Committee, which met on Tuesday evening (13/01), is a recent ruling from a Planning Inspector that allowed development on a Neighbour Plan reserve site in Leicestershire, ahead of NP allocated sites being developed. This ruling could have consequences for Thame’s own Reserved sites, part of Site F (Oxford Road) and part of Site C (east of Thame Park Road) because at present, the Thame NP allows for development on these ‘reserved’ sites, only if the proposed amalgamation of Lord Williams’s Lower school site with the Upper school site does NOT go ahead, which if it did, would  free up the lower school site for housing.

Additional Health care facilities – Thame TC has held discussions with the Thame Cattle Market Action Group and SODC about considering the site as a potential location for a new Health Hub, as part of a mixed development.

All Section 106 agreements (Developer contributions for local projects) for all sites that already have outline or full planning permission, include a contribution towards health facilities, though recently introduced central Government restrictions relating to Section 106 pooling have now restricted opportunities (SEE LINK ). A Health Summit Group is apparently assessing the needs and deficiencies in health provision in the Thame to come up with a strategy with other healthcare partners, for planning how to meet future needs.

Community facilities – Regarding provision for a new Community Facility in the TNP, the report states that all Section 106 agreements for all sites with outline or full planning permission include a contribution towards community facilities, though once again, central Government restrictions relating to S106 pooling as mentioned above, have curtailed options somewhat.

Another of the Working Groups under the auspices  of the NP Continuity Committee is The Infrastructure Delivery Plan Working Group and one of its tasks is to establish how funds will be allocated against the various facilities required. The report states that siscussions are underway with the Thame and District Housing Association and the local Air Cadets on a potential additional facility at Southern Road Recreation Ground.

New burial space – The town council’s report indicates that there has been resistance from the developers of Sites C1 and D to meet this requirement of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. It is claimed that a desk top study has shown the land to be unsuitable for burials as the area being suggested is near the flood plain. A S106 financial contribution has been allocated as an alternative, and is being sought from all sites. The S106 Agreement for Site C includes a commitment to undertake 12-month land suitability testing and, if found to be suitable, to gift land for such a site, or if not suitable, to provide a financial contribution. This could be used, suggests the report, to extend the existing St Mary’s graveyard or used towards creating a town cemetery at a new location. No alternative land has been identified so far.

SHMAR recommendations to 2031

It has not yet been decided how the extra houses that the recent SHMAR ((Strategic Housing Market Assessment Report) identified a need for in the district (SEE LINK for background) will be distributed. Therefore the effect on the Thame Neighbourhood Plan cannot be assessed until the various Local Authorities across Oxfordshire have reviewed the situation and decided where these additional homes will be built.

The preferred options stage is expected to be published by the district council in Spring 2016.

SOME POSITIVE PROGRESS !

Moving around Thame – A long-discussed cycle route between Thame and Haddenham and Thame Parkway station is a priority of the Green Living Plan Working Group, part of the Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Committee. All Section 106 agreements for all sites that have outline or full planning permission, have included a contribution to Oxfordshire County Council towards this specific cycle route, and Consultants have been asked to delve further into the current status of such a route with both OCC and Bucks CC who are responsible for the land along which a route would most likely take, and funding costs and opportunities.

Improvements to open spaces in Lea Park – Initial work has been carried out by 21st Century Thame , in conjunction with the Lea Park Residents Association, towards providing pedestrian and cycle signage, at both Site F and Lea Park. Funding for improved pedestrian / cycle signage in both these areas has been secured through the Site F Section 106 agreement, within the Public Art category.

The second priority for the Green Living Plan Working Group are Travel Plans, which, the report says, may be threatened by recent proposals to abolish bus subsidies by Oxfordshire County Council. The plan states that ‘Assessments of public transport opportunities by the Town Council will continue for all allocated and significant windfall sites, as part of their recommendations to the Planning Authority.”

You can read the whole of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan Monitoring and Delivery Report HERE 

All these challenges to the Thame Neighbourhood Plan will be faced by the various Working Groups of The Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Committee, but its Chairman, Cllr Bob Austin, told Thame.Net after the meeting on Tuesday, that: “Along with the various groups, institutions and people of Thame out there, we are determined to make the Neighbourhood Plan, which is a living document, with its many different levels of needs, wants and aspirations,  work to keep Thame a sustainable and vibrant town into the future.”