From the Disctrict Councillor Sept 2007

Many of you will be concerned having read about the proposed development of the land south of Grenoble Road.  The 635-page report produced by the Examination in Public (EIP) has recommended a selective Green Belt review focussed on the south side of Oxford, claiming exceptional circumstances justify this.

The EIP maintains that an urban extension is required to accommodate a minimum of 4,000 houses for Oxford City's workers.  The Inspectors have recommended that this should include 40% affordable housing but have not clarified whether employment should also be provided.

The land in question is owned by the City Council, Thames Water and Magdalen College.  Magdalen College has made it clear that it intends to extend its Science Park into this land.  This would not solve the housing shortage.

This report is extremely disappointing.  The Green Belt around Oxford was created to prevent just such ‘land-grabs' as this, its purpose being:  to protect the unique historic character of Oxford and its landscape setting, check the growth of Oxford, prevent urban sprawl and coalescence of settlements and assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.

This development is wrong for Oxford City, for the population of the development itself and for our historic villages and communities.

Both County and the Local District Councils believe that there are better ways of accommodating the housing.  In my view, affordable housing should be placed in existing vibrant communities with a diverse socio-economic structure. The Government has received the EIP report and will give its recommendation before the year end.  A further increase in the number of houses is likely.  A 12-week consultation period will follow.

Pressure needs to be put now on the City Council to see the irreparable damage this extension would do to Oxford City which does not have the infrastructure to cope with such an increase in numbers.  All the land falls under the planning control of the SODC.  Its leader, Anne Ducker, has said the SODC is 100% committed to fighting this proposal.  I am optimistic that this development can be stopped as it is flawed and is driven by commercial and political expediency.  It is our duty to protect our heritage.