Search on for land to fill in local house plan (From Herald Series)

Search on for land to fill in local house plan

1:00pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Pete Hughes, Reporter. Call me on 01865 425431

LANDOWNERS across the Vale of White Horse are being urged to offer up sites for potential housing development.

Residents have been invited to contribute to the new Vale of White Horse local plan in public consultation starting today.

The plan, currently at the draft stage, lays out strategic locations for about 10,000 new homes in the district until 2029.

Vale district council head of planning Robert Sharp said: “That is partly what this consultation is about.

“I suggest that landowners should come down to an exhibition and see: their site would have to fit in with the gist of the plan, but where there is still room they might be able to contribute.”

Roger Smith, director at Savills estate agent in Oxford, said: “Landowners who want to put their land forward for allocation for housing, employment and other uses need to act now to ensure the best possible chances of being considered.

“Vale of White Horse is planning for growth by setting targets for both housing and employment.

“The only way in which these targets will be met is through working with willing local landowners.”

The local plan, which the council hopes to adopt next summer, will chart sites for about 10,000 new homes and 143 hectares of land for employment.

Alan Cottrell was recently refused permission for four houses in Denchworth, and is waiting to hear the result of an application to build four houses on his farm at West Hanney.

He backed the plan saying that, although villagers did not want more housing, homes for young people were needed.

Since the council’s core strategy for housing expired in May 2011, planning bosses have not been able to demonstrate a five-year plan for the supply of housing as demanded by the Government.

It has meant developers have been putting in “opportunistic” applications across the district, some of which have caused significant controversy.

The new plan will make it more clear where houses can and cannot go.

All Vale residents will have an opportunity to discuss the plan with council officers at a series of exhibitions manned being staged across the area.

HAVE YOUR SAY

STAFFED exhibitions takes place as follows:

• Today, noon-7pm, Bury Street, Abingdon
• Tomorrow, noon-7pm. Wantage Civic Hall
• Tuesday, March 19, noon-7pm. Methodist Hall, Main Street, Grove
• Thursday, March 21, noon-7pm. Southmoor Village Hall
• Saturday, March 23, 10am-3pm. Wantage Civic Hall
• Tuesday, March 26, noon-7pm. Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot
• Thursday, March 28, noon-7pm. Faringdon Corn Exchange
• Thursday, April 4, noon-7pm. Harwell Church Hall
• Saturday April 13, 10am3pm. Faringdon Corn Exchange

There will be also unmanned static exhibitions throughout the consultation, until May 9, at Abingdon Guildhall, the Faringdon Corn Exchange, the Old Mill Hall, Grove, Botley Library and Shrivenham Memorial Hall.