12/10/10…..Town council criticised over development consultation

Dear Sir or Madam, In the past stories have been run about how Thame was threatened by another 850 homes in the next 15 years. Now the district council has said that this number will be cut to 530 although there will be additional windfall sites. Now people are being asked whether they support 530 homes and employment on the pig farm or on land in Thame Park Road. The reasons for the consultation is that Thame Town Council now want the homes on the pig farm rather than the district council?s preferred option in Thame Park Road.

I, my friends and neighbours are really surprised that Thame Town Council has not consulted us on this before. Having looked at the town council?s web site, I see that it states: ?The town council is a service provider for the Thame community, an influencer and conduit for local views, working effectively and efficiently in partnership with other organisations.? All well and good but it is a pity that they did not go out to the public before the councillors changed their minds about where the new homes should go. If the town council believes in having a dialogue with local people this has to be two-way and the general public should be told about potential decisions before they become a fait accompli.

It seems the town council is now backing the site of the pig farm opposite Lord Williams? Upper School since it supports the idea that the Lower School should go there too and there would be a combined school on both sides of the road. (This plan appears to have been kept particualrly quiet – what will happen to the existing Lower School site? More housing no doubt.) The traffic on Oxford Road is already high and placing not just the homes and employment there but the Lower School as well will make the road very dangerous for people to cross.

Also the land is partly in a flood plain and rises to a high level between the by-pass and Oxford Road, so a large area of land would be concreted over, making any flash flooding worse for Thame and most worrying, threaten existing homes further down the Oxford Road.

South Oxfordshire?s professional planners had supported the site in Thame Park Road. Time and again at Local Plan inquiries the inspectors have refused homes on the pig farm for sensible planning reasons, (for example the very real risk of flooding). Now it seems that Thame Town Council and certain residents? association representatives want to make a decision on political grounds rather than for sensible planning reasons.THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

The deadline for comments are only a couple of weeks away ? Friday, 29 October. What is really bad, is that virtually everyone, other than those who have already made these decisions, are being kept in the dark and it appears the ‘consultation’ process is being rushed in order to limit the public’s response in terms of contribution and volume. THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

Yours faithfully
Julie Jenson (Mrs)
Old Union Way, Thame
12/10/10