Category: More News

THE residents of a Hamlet in the parish of Thame, have won the support of Thame Town Council in opposing a housing development which if it went ahead, would mean that the tiny village of Moreton would have grown by 20% in just over three years – more than the 15% limit for larger villages in the district.

When is ‘infill’ not infill?

At Tuesday’s meeting (July 31)  of the full council, representatives of the residents of the village of Moreton, described how 68% of villages polled were either against the proposal for seven dwellings on land north of Moreton Road, Moreton, or would accept a development but only with major alterations. Moreton resident, Ken Burch, told the committee: “At first, the developers seemed decent people, asking to meet us before progressing the plan. Then, when the plan came in, it seemed there was a lot that had been brought up remained unanswered. The way the community consultation comments were presented seemed skewed in favour and so many of the residents felt unhappy. As a result we carried out our own poll.

Speaking on behalf of the developer, Giles Brockbank of Hunter Page Planning Ltd, told councilors that the proposed development did constitute ‘infill’ as it would be surrounded on three sides by other properties. However, Moreton resident, Tina Fegent, representing those residents who are totally against the plans, said her understanding of the definition of infill was ‘The filling of a small gap in an otherwise built up frontage or on other sites within settlements where the site is closely surrounded by buildings’. “This site is not that,” she said.

The other main objections by the 36 residents who voted for No Development at all were a lack of public transport serving the village, causing future residents to be reliant on a car, the lack of infrastructure like a school, a pub/shop, poor, unsafe and isolated footpath and cycle path to Thame, and poor access roads to neighbouring villages.

The layout and design of the development, described by Mr Brockbank as:..”a bespoke scheme that complements the village”, was, in Ms Fegent’s words: “..a small housing estate with mock farmyards and barns, that appears to attempt to disguise a collection of new buildings. Overall, the sit is overbuilt and not in keeping with the village.”

‘The country needs more houses’

Comments made by the 19 Moreton residents who accepted the plan as given , included the statement that ‘Moreton should take its share’. They were also keen to ‘support local farmers’ who, they said, ‘do a lot to enhance the environment’.

“Farmers are having to diversify to survive or sell land to retire” was one comment.

Most of the group who voted to accept the proposal but with major alterations, wanted Plot One to go, believing it ‘overshadows the entrance to the village’, and wanted to stick to the original plan for five houses and not seven. If the seven were allowed, added to the seven new houses already built in the last few years, this would mean a 20% increase in the number of dwellings in the village – when SODC’s policy is for 15% growth ‘in the larger villages’. “So, why should Moreton take more?” asked the villagers.

Parking

Parking, already a problem in Moreton, would become even more of a problem, if this proposal were allowed to go ahead, believed some of the residents. “The road in front of the site is too narrow for parking,” explained Ken Burch, on behalf of Moreton residents. “The developers say they exceed the OCC requirement and provide three extra visitor spaces. Ten yof the 25 spaces are carports. There are no garden stores so the car ports will be used for mowers and bikes. Residents rely on cars and most homes with 4/5 bedrooms will have 3+ cars.

“You do the maths (to councillors) and tell me this will work!” he added.

Developer’s representative’s response

Giles Brockbank, speaking on behalf of the developer Lucy Developments, said that, in response to villagers’ comments via a public exhibition and consultation, three further parking spaces had been added to the two per house, and that Plot One had been moved away from the boundary to ‘negate any over-looking’ and a change in materials had been proposed making it more in keeping with the local area. Hedging and ‘rustic detail’ had been added he said, and trees kept to fit with the rest of village. He argued that the density of the proposal was within what is allowed by local planning policy and that the Thame Neighbourhood Plan did allow for sites to come forward for Moreton.

Mr Brockbank also stated that ‘Government policy allowed for smaller sites of at least 10%, on no more than on hectare’. With regard to the Conservation area, he said that the lay-out allowed for views through to the area and included hedgerows. “We have positively engaged with the community,” he concluded, “and have produced a bespoke scheme that compliments the village.”

Councillors’ questions

Cllr Helena Fickling (herself an Architect), asked Mr Brockbank why Plot One had no windows on the front elevation and looked like the back of the house. He replied that the plot had been re-orientated in response to villagers’ comments, the overall mass reduced by removing the car port. “If people feel strongly, we could look at it again,” he said. Cllr Linda Emery suggested that Plot one should go and the site used for a children’s playground.

Cllr Mike Dyer said: “This site is NOT infill and should be thrown out! There are no services in the village and no infrastructure. We cannot afford this bias towards larger houses when Moreton needs smaller homes.” Cllr Fickling added: “Maintaining the scale and pattern of surrounding areas is a tenet of the Neighbourhood Plan. It’s a rural setting; a site up for change from agriculture to residential. Large, open spaces are important to the pattern of the village.”

Cllr Nigel Champken Woods concluded the discussion with: “This is not NYMYism. Clearly 60% of villagers would be happy to see a development with some changes. If it were to come back before us with more work, we would think about it but not this before us now.”

You can see the full Planning application P18/S2260/FUL HERE

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet has agreed a timetable for progressing its Local Plan which will be submitted for public examination in March 2019.

The Local Plan will identify where housing, retail and employment land should go as well as the infrastructure required to support this growth, such as new roads, schools, health services and sewerage. The proposed policies in the plan will be used to help make decisions on planning applications in the district.

The council intends to reassess each of the main housing sites currently proposed in the Plan, along with previously-considered locations that were dismissed but were ‘reasonable alternatives’ and some additional sites (None of these sites are in Thame, though there is provision for additional housing on ‘infill’ and ‘redevelopment’ sites see below).

‘The Strategy for Thame’

Quote: “We will support development proposals which:

Are in accordance with the Thame Neighbourhood DevelopmentPlan (currently being reviewed and amended)
Maintain the quality of placeiii)

Strengthen commerce in the town centre and identify sites suitable for future retail, leisure and community uses

Support housing and employment uses above shops

Improve the attraction of Thame for visitors and businesses

Improve accessibility, car parking, pedestrian and cycle links

Support schemes which enhance the quality of the town’senvironment

Support schemes which improve the stock of existing commercial buildings and the environment of the employment areas

Allow housing on suitable infill and redevelopment sites

Support the schools, health and other service providers meet theiraccommodation needs, in particular the amalgamation of thesecondary school onto a single site

Provide for an appropriate housing mix which responds to the needs of the housing market

The timetable states that councillors will make a decision in December on which of the 15 available major housing sites will be included in the plan, following completion of the necessary assessment and filtering work.

The final plan, outlining how the district should develop until 2033, will then be published and residents will have a chance to comment on its technical ‘soundness’ early next year. It will then be submitted for public examination by an independent planning inspector later in 2019.

READ THE REST OF SODC’s statement here:

http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/news/2018/2018-08/timetable-set-south-oxfordshire%E2%80%99s-local-plan

A dentist and a dental nurse from Thame, are off to Malawi, Africa, to treat the teeth of the poor in rural, northern villages.

Zak Khatana, who works at Thame House Dental Practice in the town, explained: “Dental care is something we take for granted in the UK. However in places like Malawi there is minimal access. There is a desperate need for dental care in Malawi. The country has fewer than 40 registered dentists for a population of 19 million people and access to dental services is particularly difficult for people living in remote rural communities, with people dying from preventable dental infections causing sepsis.

“In Easter 2019, myself and Samantha Miller will be part of a small team of volunteers who will set up and install a temporary dental clinic in the village of Bulala, plus we’ll be working with other surrounding villages. Many of the patients will require emergency care and extractions but we will also run oral health programmes.

“People arrive through the night and walk several hours to seek out dental treatment. Demand is huge and up to 100 people will be waiting for treatment at the start of each day. We will prioritise children and those suffering from infections and immediate pain.

“We are aiming to see a minimum of 1000 people during our stay and so we are asking for your help. Dental supplies are expensive and so we are fundraising to help us provide as much care as possible to those in need. All donations will be used entirely for this project, however big or small the amount.

“We were hoping that you would be able to help us gain exposure for our cause. We are looking to raise at least £4500.”

To learn more about Zak and Samantha’s project and to make a donation, visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/zakiandsam

Alternatively there will be donation boxes in the practice in Thame and Fairford Leys, Aylesbury

 

TO celebrate Cycle to Work Day 2018 on Wednesday, August 15, the Haddenham to Thame Cycleway group (CycleHAT) is organizing a free buddy scheme to escort want-to-cycle commuters between Thame Town Hall and Haddenham & Thame Parkway train station during the morning commute.

The hope is that a number of commuters who usually drive to the station will be inspired to ditch the car and cycle instead on the day – enjoying some fresh air, exercise and saving the expense of a car parking ticket. As a reward for cycle commuters’ efforts, the Little Italy café at the Haddenham & Thame Parkway station is kindly providing a complimentary cup of coffee for those taking part.

On the day, a pool of experienced cyclists (buddies) will personally escort those who are not familiar with the commute by bicycle. Trips to the train station will leave at regular intervals between 7am and  9am. Cyclists wishing to reserve a space, are invited to visit http://bit.ly/cyclehat indicating your preferred departure time on the basis that ~30 minutes should be allowed for the trip. Riders only need to bring a roadworthy bicycle, a helmet, and a lock. Optionally, a set of lights and a waterproof may be prudent depending on the weather and your expected time of return.

The event is being organised in order to promote awareness for the need for an improved cycle-friendly route between Thame and Haddenham, with the aim to realise a safer means of cycling for the benefits of local commuters, families, and children.

A young Thame man, inspired by a school trip to the Gambia with Lord Williams’s School, and the Ultra athlete and author, Mark Beaumont (The Man Who Cycled The World), has set off on his own incredible endurance challenge, to cycle around the world too!

Alex Clark, 23, set off from Thame on July 22, to realise his dream, aiming to cycle 21,500 miles, and through sponsorship and donations, to give hundreds of children in both the UK and The Gambia an equal opportunity to realise their dreams.

Alex, who quit his job with a recruitment agency in London to take this trip, is aiming to raise £10,000 for two charities, The Thame-based Jack O’Donnell Foundation that supports children to achieve their full potential in the sport they love, and Sponsor A Gambian Child which provides funding for children in the Birkama area to attend school, through individual sponsorship.

Alex’s journey will be in stages, the first from Thame to Triest – a ride of 2,050 km. From then on the stages will be:

Stage 2: Trieste – Mumbai, 6,240 km
Stage 3: Mumbai – Perth, 10,295 km
Stage 4: Perth – Auckland, 6,404 km
Stage 5: San Diego – Lisbon, 7,575 km
Stage 6: Lisbon – Thame, 2,449 km

Sean Conway, another endurance athlete and adventurer, has also been key to Alex’s unfailing passion to realise his dream. In 2012 Sean was attempting to break the world record for solo and unsupported bicycle circumnavigation when he was hit by a pickup truck on his way to work. Despite this Sean managed to make it all the way around the world after several weeks recovering from serious injuries.

Alex’s previous sporting love has been football, and more recently triathlon, and it was the running and cycling element of the latter that Alex says made him realise that these skills were transferable in helping him to achieve his mammoth project.

If you would like to support Alex in raising funds for these two, extremely worthwhile causes, and help keep him motivated as he tackles the next thousands of kilometers of what will inevitably be a grueling test of character of fitness, visit his Prestige Worldwide page https://www.prestigeworldride.org/aboutthecyclist

You can find out more about Alex and his preperations for the trip, and donate by visiting Alex’s MyDonate page; https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/alexclark1709

A group of residents in the village of Moreton, near Thame are very unhappy about the increasing amount and standard of development in their village, and have been meeting and writing to district councillors and their MP to voice their concerns.

Many villagers are unhappy about an application that has been submitted for seven homes at the Paddock by the entrance to village: See full application HERE
and a second proposal by Rectory Homes near the village pond.

Moreton resident, Tina Fegent, told Thame.Net: “In the last three years we have had eight new builds – four of which are Rectory Homes. This has increased the size of our hamlet by 15%. We don’t have the infrastructure to support increased volumes of people and traffic etc. We are conducting our own traffic survey this week to ascertain the volume of traffic that is already coming in and out of the village.

“We have a lot of walkers, runners, dog walkers, families with kids, Horse riders, etc walk the path from Thame to Moreton, to The Oxfordshire or Tetsworth,” she added. “Moreton is like a bit of a Park next to Thame and should be kept that way.”

Extra houses are ‘not sustainable’

Another Moreton Resident, Robin Storey, has written to SODC, who are currently at the consultation stage of a planning application by Lucy Developments for the seven homes. He challenges the application on the grounds of it not being ‘Sustainable Development’ and refutes a statement in the application that the development would be ‘infill’.

Mr Storey states that Moreton is expressly not earmarked for development under local planning rules: “The Proposals do not constitute sustainable development due to its location in a rural community without the necessary infrastructure to accommodate such development in a sustainable manner,” he said.  “This lack of support for such development is demonstrated by the fact that there are no housing allocations in this vicinity, either in the emerging SODLP or the Thame Neighbourhood Plan (adopted or emerging).”

The developer’s submission claims that the station is close, and that this makes it sustainable, but Mr Storey notes that: “The station is four miles away and requires a car to access safely. There is no cycle path (despite 10 years of attempts to establish one) and the fast B road to Haddenham is dangerous.”

Mr Storey adds: “Moreton is unable to support new housing and the needs of the new population will be met only by unsustainable travel by car…….There is no school in the village or more school spaces in Thame, no pub/shop, etc, and there are other infrastructure limitations…There are poor public bus routes (one per week).

“The County Council has just withdrawn free school bus provision, which is currently being appealed by a number of families. The quality of the footpath to Thame is poor or totally unmade in places and the walking route to school is unsafe as it is isolated. It is likely that more car journeys will result from the village from September 2018….The road junction onto the main A329 is already dangerous.”

Proposals by Rectory Homes for new homes near the village pond

Of this proposal, Mr Storey writes: “What we have seen built so far by Rectory Homes’ two developments in recent years does not seem to be sympathetic in scale, design or materials and more attention is needed to the fact that this is a village not an extension of suburbia.

“This aesthetic is not apparently understood by Rectory Homes and, worse, SODC have failed to enforce proper standards – in scale, materials or design ie machine made slate tiles have been used next to Harvest Barn, not handmade clay tiles to defer to the original farm building, which is now overwhelmed and these views of field and barn have been spoilt, as the new buildings are dominant.

“In this proposal, the scale of the roof in the larger buildings make the choice of a high quality handmade clay tiles particularly important.”

Mr Storey claims that both proposed developments would spoil the view of the village Conservation Area and the collection of listed buildings that make Moreton popular with walkers, runners and cyclists from Thame – and that a valuable Thame amenity is at risk . He also fears for the diversity of wildlife seen in the village, which includes protected and other significant species including several types of bat, otter, grass snakes, adder, owl, herons and great crested newts within the village. Cuttle Brook links the village to the town nature reserve via two fields. An informal survey of the village confirms these species are regularly seen and clearly spread throughout the village – either side of the proposed development.”

Town and District Councillor, David Dodds, has himself written several times to SODC concerning support for extending the Conservation Area.

Meeting with Thame Town Council

Back in June, Rectory Homes requested a preparatory meeting with Thame Town Council and Moreton Residents’ Association. Cllr Helena Fickling for Thame TC’s Planning Committee, Ann Midwinter the Town Mayor, Linda Emery Deputy Mayor, David Dodds SODC councillor, Graham Hunt Town Clerk and Graeme Markland Neighbourhood Plan Officer all attended the meeting. Rectory Homes was represented by Edd Vickers, the son of owner Simon Vickers, and Jolande Bowater, Associate Director for Planning.

At the meeting, Mr Vickers apparently explained that there were no definitive plans, just ideas they wanted to share. He produced a rough plan which he said was for illustration only. They were suggesting seven homes with a green ‘buffer’ along the road and a footpath for pedestrians. He also pointed out the possibility of more open space around the pond and another area behind the line of proposed new houses.The field in question is opposite the Old School/School House/Old Chapel House.

Threat of ‘urbanisation’

There was absolutely no support for further development from the villagers present, the general feeling being that more development in Moreton would be seen as a move to “urbanise” the hamlet. Cllr Ann Midwinter said it was her belief that Rectory Homes should… “give up this proposal and leave Moreton alone.” The MRA (Moreton Residents Association) requested that if Rectory Homes did progress plans, there should be a public meeting in the Town Hall so that Moreton Residents could have the opportunity to comment as a community.

As a consequence of all this pressure for development in Moreton, many in the village are considering the case for a ‘mini Neighbourhood Plan’ for Moreton to feed into the Thame Plan and to protect Moreton as a place to visit for everyone in Thame. Others have requested SODC extend the village Conservation Area before the fields are lost.

One of the councillors present at the meeting suggested: “We need to consider what, if any, housing we think we might need and where will it go. It might also be worth considering the Thame Green Living Plan and what it means for our hamlet.”

A Physiotherapist, Fitness Instructor or Postural Stability Instructor will take participants through seven tests of their exercise performance, when a ‘Functional Fitness M.O.T.’ event is held in Thame for a second year. (See LINK to last year’s event)

 

The Functional Fitness M.O.T. was developed by a partnership between Glasgow Caledonian University, the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Later Life Training. Each test comes with a set of ‘normal values’ for people between 60 and 90 years-old and will give participants an idea of how they are doing compared to their peers, or whether they could benefit from being more active.

Participants have the opportunity to book an appointment, or can just turn up at Thame Town Hall on Friday, September 28, 2018.

There will be a list available of local activity opportunities to join in with, and some websites with more information and guidance.

Thame’s Functional Fitness team is also aiming to have stalls from the following organisations to give information and advice:

AGE UK Oxford including the Community Information Network
Thame Leisure Centre including GO ACTIVE
The British Heart Foundation
Diabetes UK
Dementia Oxfordshire
Occupational Therapy

For an appointment to take your very own Functional Fitness MOT, call Anita Clayton on: 01844 217646