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A group of Thame residents is planning a campaign to oppose a proposal for a Tesco store and petrol station on the outskirts of the town, because they fear its effects on them and on town centre businesses.

Chair of the East Thame Residents Association, Bob Austin, told Thamenews.net: “Our reasons for opposing the Tesco development- subject to confirmation at a general meeting- are based on of its potentially adverse impact on residents in the surrounding area as well as on the prosperity of the town centre itself. In particular:

1. The DAF site is surrounded on three sides by residential dwellings and the scale of the development would seriously affect the quality of life of those people living there. The superstore would be open from 7am to 11pm- we presume the petrol station would be the same (?)- and the noise and light pollution could be a serious problem. The latter would obviously be exacerbated by delivery vehicles. Traffic on the bypass could be problematic and would need to be carefully managed.

2.The DAF site is zoned for employment use only and would require a ‘change of use’. The latter normally requires a one year period of advertising to establish a justification for change. Given the uncertainties imposed by the Local Plan 2031 on housing numbers for Thame, the site should not be waved through for change of use automatically before future needs are clear.

3.The building of a superstore would be contrary to the Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP). Page 28 of that document states: “Thame is a small town and any major shopping development outside the town centre would be likely to undermine the town’s vitality and the viability of town centre shops”. These words are a confirmation of an independent study undertaken when Tesco previously sought an edge of town superstore.

4.The TNP identified an additional food (or convenience) retail need of only 600 sq. metres (6500 sq. feet) by 2027. The new superstore would be six and a half times that size. As a community we should address need not just convenience.

5. We are concerned at the potential to replace the employment land at DAF by other sites around the town. The additional land (not in the TNP) given to the new warehousing on Howland Road was in part justified as replacing the employment land taken by the ‘permitted development’ conversion of the old Angus Fire Armour Offices into flats.

“Any decision on the DAF site development should not undermine the well-being of residents or of town centre itself. Thame is justly proud of its ability to resist the retail blight that has hit other towns and should continue to do so.

“The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) emphasises that the promotion of town centre vitality must be the core policy. We would urge that Thame Town Council ensure this is the case by commissioning its own study, independent of that required of Tesco, and supporting the conclusions of the Neighbourhood Plan. The latter may bend but it should not be allowed to break.”

Editor: A response from Thame Town Council and South Oxfordshire District Council is awaited

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A Deputy District Scout Commissioner for Oxfordshire has been jailed for fraud after fiddling the books over a payment for the hire of Thame Show ground.

Oxford Crown Court heard Colin Arter, of Spruce Drive, Bicester, told that he had ‘set a terrible example’ by taking the money from Oxfordshire Scouting, where he had volunteered for more than 25 years, and that by helping himself to £18,200 of the movment’s money he had committed a ‘grotesque breach of trust’.

The court heart that Arter had requested £10,000 for a deposit to book the Thame Show Ground for the county’s One World camp last summer, and £4,600 to hire a marquee. But he provided his own bank details and those of a friend he owed money to, and the sums were deposited to their accounts. Arter was caught when the Scouts tried to recover their deposits and when questioned he also admitted claiming a further £3,600.

His defence lawyer told the court that his client had run into financial difficulties and ‘had not been himself for some time’. Arter had, he said, at one time  ‘found himself standing precariously on a bridge over the motorway’.

Arter was jailed for 14 months after admitting one count of fraud by abuse of position between June 1, 2013, and March 27, 2014 this year.

ST JOSEPH’S Catholic Primary School in Thame rose to the occasion to mark this year’s Remembrance Day with a range of activities to commemorate all those who have been affected by conflict.

Prior to Tuesday, November 11, the children learnt about the significance of Remembrance Day and recorded their findings on large paper poppies to form a red poppy display in each classroom.

On Remembrance Day itself the older children stood in attendance at Thame’s war memorial at 11am and attended a special assembly. Later in the day, they worked in small groups of mixed ages to produce special ‘prayers of peace’.

“We feel it’s incredibly important to teach the children about both past and current conflict and its impact, as well as nurture their respect and understanding on something they have little experience of,” said teacher Fiona Dyer.

The children also undertook various writing tasks ranging from letter and descriptive writing following a visit to Thame’s war memorial by the school’s 7-11 year olds, as well as an imaginative piece by the younger pupils describing what aliens would see looking down onto Earth on Remembrance Day.

The upper years also made clay poppies inspired by the poppy installation at the Tower of London and had the opportunity to ask questions, which they had prepared as a part of their studies, to a visiting member of the British Legion.