Town Council Approve Cattle Market Move

A PLANNING application for a new Cattle market and associated facilities has been recommended for approval by Thame Town Council’s Planning Committee.
This new plan is for a single storey building with additional landscaping, designed to reduce the building’s visual impact, which was a problem for planning officers and some councillors at SODC, when a previous application was turned down – decided by the casting vote of the Chairman.

An additional major difference with this, the third application to be submitted for a new cattle market, is a proposal for a new roundabout close to the proposed new entrance, off the A3129 in Thame. This, said David Butcher, speaking on behalf of the Developer, Bob Williams, would help reduce the speed of traffic along that stretch of the by-pass and would make it easier for people to exit the site.

As a response to concerns expressed about the inadequacy of the previous plans for drainage on the new site (on Thame Show ground), a new, self-contained drainage system has been designed to be situated down-stream of Lee Park.

David Butcher told committee members: “Since the last application, the situation for Thame Cattlemarket has worsened following the Foot and Mouth crisis, and with Blue Tongue, the problems have not gone away. The market needs to expand to ensure its security for the future.
“The Thame Show also suffered this year from the weather, and the Foot and Mouth crisis. It has been a tough year for both the market and the show.”

Peter Bailey, Managing Director of Thame Farmers Auction Mart Ltd, which operates Thame Cattle market, said: “We need to have this new market as soon as possible. We have looked at the plans and addressed all the concerns. We have done our utmost to overcome all the objections.
“We really must secure the market’s future for the farming community that depends on it.”

In response to a question from Cllr Nigel Champken-Woods as to how the proposed move would assist Thame Show, Peter Bailey explained: “The new facilities that would be provided will enable stock brought in for the show to be housed properly and securely for washing and preparation, bio-security being such a major concern these days.”

Answering questions posed by Cllr David Laver, it was explained that the site would include temporary office facilities for transient visitors, like vets and suppliers etc. Assurance was given that there would be no permanent agricultural engineers with large machines or similar types of businesses, based on the new site.

Cllr Champken-Woods doubted that the provision of a roundabout would make ‘a jot’ of difference to the problems of some Lee Park residents exiting on to the by-pass, and concerns about extra noise at the new roundabout were expressed by a resident of Pennington Place in a letter.

A lengthy discussion about how much extra traffic would be generated ensued, ranging from ‘four-fold’ according to Cllr Champken-Woods, and ‘marginal’ according to Cllr David Laver.
The Chairman, Cllr Don Butler, quoted bits of the Local Plan where it referred to “Protect and enhance the built environment” and “protection of the countryside” and how developments should be “integrated into the landscape”, and the Mayor, David Bretherton, quoted other bits with referred to “circumstances that could out-way the general requirments of the Local Plan” and about “promoting a healthy economy in rural areas” where there is “no adverse effect.”

Cllr Champken-Woods said that he was in full support of the Cattle market moving, but not in the proposed particular area.

Eventually, the committee voted by five votes to four to recommend the plan be approved.

Developer, Bob Davies, whose company submitted the plan, said today: “We are very pleased that Thame Town Council have supported us once again and hope that the level of support will continue and SODC responds appropriately.
“The future of the market and Thame show depend on it.”

Mr Williams is awaiting the results of an Appeal against SODC’s refusal of the former application. He said that if his company wins that appeal, they will withdraw the latest application.

This latest application will now go to South Oxfordshire District Council’s Planning committee in the next few weeks.