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South Oxon 'disappointed' at estate plans
9:26am Friday 18th July 2008
South Oxfordshire District Council has reacted with "disappointment" at the news a 4,000-home estate looks like being built on the edge of Oxford.
As exclusively revealed in the Oxford Mail today, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears yesterday gave the go-ahead for a development on land south of Grenoble Road, near the Kassam Stadium.
Although the scheme was out forward by planners working for Oxford City Council, the site actually falls within the south Oxfordshire administrative boundary.
Now, planners from each authority are to met to thrash out a way forward.
Homes could be inhabited as early as 2013 South Oxfordshire district councillor Angie Paterson, cabinet member for planning, said: "This is very disappointing - but not wholly unexpected - news.
"Once the panel charged with looking at the South East Plan had recommended an urban extension to Oxford, I feared it was unlikely the Secretary of State would reject it.
"I remain opposed to the proposal as does the council as a whole.
"We will convene a meeting in the near future with others who oppose this development to discuss how best to respond."
Backers of the Grenoble Road development think the scheme could be a partial solution to Oxford's chronic housing shortages and a better option than building in market towns like Didcot and Bicester, which adjoin the A34.
Your Say YourOxford
Andrew, Oxford says...
9:52am Fri 18 Jul 08
Peter, Oxford says...
10:02am Fri 18 Jul 08
A Resident and Voter, Oxford says...
10:04am Fri 18 Jul 08
Mr Smith are you in favour or against these plans or would you prefer to wait and judge public opinion before coming down on the side of the majority in an attempt to preserve your high salary, expense account and other 'perks' in the next general election ?
DanOxford, says...
11:01am Fri 18 Jul 08
Expand the Universities, gentrify central areas, allow in vast numbers of economic migrants, dump Oxford families on peripheral estates and make them drive at 20mph and pay a fortune in parking if they DAREventure beyond the drab housing estate with minimal facilities, no employment and poor infrastructure.
No-one has the b*lls to tackle the issue that England's green belt is going to sacrificed so that people from poorer Countries can live in the UK, as immigration is going to be the greatest cause of the UK's rapid population growth.
2.3 million immigrants come to UK in 16 years
June 2, 2008
New Government figures have confirmed just how large has been the scale of immigration into the UK in recent years and show that that the vast majority who come to stay are from the third world.
An analysis of the latest immigration statistics from the Office of National Statistics by think-tank Migrationwatch shows that in the years 1991 2006 there was a net movement of some 2.3 million people to the UK - only 8% of which came from the new East European members of the EU.
www.migrationwatch.c
om
Eddy Grundy, Ambridge says...
11:22am Fri 18 Jul 08
Letter to the Daily Mail, 6 June 2008
An article in the Daily Mail suggested that some research was a joint effort between MigrationWatch and ONS. The National Statistician wrote to point this was not the case.
Issue date: 06 June 2008
Type: Letter to the Press
Sir
Your report Third World migrants behind our 2.3m population boom (2 June) wrongly attributes this study to joint research between the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and MigrationWatch. ONS was not involved in, or consulted about, the analysis. The research does make use of ONS figures, but we have reservations about the analysis.
Yours faithfully
Karen Dunnell
National Statistician
Office for National Statistics
Government Buildings
Cardiff Road
Newport NR10 8XG
Sarah Cornwell, Oxford says...
11:53am Fri 18 Jul 08
It's good for people who want to get a foot on the property ladder and it's good for people who are living in overcrowded homes in Oxford.
Hooray!
DanOxford, says...
11:56am Fri 18 Jul 08
An internal Home Office email they were obliged to release to MigrationWatch
Seriously though- walk around (gentrified) Jericho or (ghetto slum) Cowley Road, and the answer to why there is a 'desperate shortage' of housing for Oxford people is blindingly obvious.
No More Rogue Landlords and BLT, Oxford says...
12:01pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Otherwise, we will still have the chronic shortage of homes for families.
Eddy Grundy, Ambridge says...
12:30pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Yes, I saw that quote from their website as well but can't seem to find any history behind it.
I DO think it's important to find the TRUE figures behind the housing shortage and not simply to accept untrustworthy evidence. Otherwise it simply gives fuel to those who just want to rant about "foreigners".
Laura, oxford says...
12:50pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Sarah Cornwell, Oxford says...
12:58pm Fri 18 Jul 08
And if the new development ends up being as balanced as Jericho and Blackbird Leys (both communities about 1/3 owner occupier, 1/3 social housing and 1/3 private rented) then that will be good too. There is a need for private rented housing too: or do you think everyone who lives in Oxford should be rich enough to buy their own place?
Eddy Grundy, Ambridge says...
1:04pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Helen, Oxford says...
1:15pm Fri 18 Jul 08
do you think everyone who lives in Oxford should be rich enough to buy their own place?If there were more houses available for purchase, perhaps the price would come down, so some of the ordinary workers in Oxford who have to commute from Abingdon, Bicester, Didcot, Witney et al could afford to buy closer to town. Isn't it the student lets that force up the prices, as there are so few ordinary homes available to buy?
Alan Page, Guildford says...
1:15pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Sarah Cornwell wrote:But surely "private rented housing" has been bought?
Yes there is a clear reason why there is a shortage of housing in Oxford: it is a very desirable place to live and for years the number of homes that could be built here has been severely restricted by the inability to build more than a handful at a time because of the green belt strangling the city. And if the new development ends up being as balanced as Jericho and Blackbird Leys (both communities about 1/3 owner occupier, 1/3 social housing and 1/3 private rented) then that will be good too. There is a need for private rented housing too: or do you think everyone who lives in Oxford should be rich enough to buy their own place?
And ideally everybody living there should have the opportunity to acquire such properties for themselves rather than having the properties looked upon as rich pickings by outside buy to letters.
Alan Page, Guildford says...
1:15pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Sarah Cornwell wrote:But surely "private rented housing" has been bought?
Yes there is a clear reason why there is a shortage of housing in Oxford: it is a very desirable place to live and for years the number of homes that could be built here has been severely restricted by the inability to build more than a handful at a time because of the green belt strangling the city. And if the new development ends up being as balanced as Jericho and Blackbird Leys (both communities about 1/3 owner occupier, 1/3 social housing and 1/3 private rented) then that will be good too. There is a need for private rented housing too: or do you think everyone who lives in Oxford should be rich enough to buy their own place?
And ideally everybody living there should have the opportunity to acquire such properties for themselves rather than having the properties looked upon as rich pickings by outside buy to letters.
Helen, Oxford says...
1:18pm Fri 18 Jul 08
MW, Oxford says...
1:32pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Robert Walker, Oxford says...
2:09pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Ed, Oxford says...
2:48pm Fri 18 Jul 08
There are many young people who can't get on the housing ladder because too many people BLT and reduce the housing stock, pushing up the price of housing.
Perhaps you don't care about the next generation or two. You know - the ones who will be paying your pension, etc?
Ed, Oxford says...
2:50pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Then you'll have to sell it and you might even lose out. What a shame.
Eddy Grundy, Ambridge says...
3:04pm Fri 18 Jul 08
J, oxford says...
3:39pm Fri 18 Jul 08
4000 houses = at least 4000 cars, probably more! There's no way that junction onto the ringroad/A34 can support any more traffic!
MW, Oxford says...
3:40pm Fri 18 Jul 08
I earned £15k a year and skrimped and saved for 2 years, got a deposit and bought a 3 bed house in East Oxford.
Why do people expect everything to be given to them on a plate. If you want to p*ss it up a wall every Friday night then do it, just dont complain when someone sees a good opportunity that you missed out on.
BTLs are an important part of the economy; not everyone wants to own their own home, and there are plenty of houses for sale for all budgets.
Mr Ison, England says...
3:54pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Ed, Oxford says...
4:06pm Fri 18 Jul 08
MW wrote:When was that, MW?
If people want something enough they will get it. What is wrong with people having BTLs. The only people that complain about it are people who think they cant afford houses.
I earned £15k a year and skrimped and saved for 2 years, got a deposit and bought a 3 bed house in East Oxford.
Why do people expect everything to be given to them on a plate. If you want to p*ss it up a wall every Friday night then do it, just dont complain when someone sees a good opportunity that you missed out on.
BTLs are an important part of the economy; not everyone wants to own their own home, and there are plenty of houses for sale for all budgets.
If you can earn £15k a year in 2008 and buy any property in Oxford, not to mention pay the council tax and bills, then you are a better man than I - and the rest of the population.
Think before you speak such nonsense!
Mr Ison, Stongehenge says...
4:17pm Fri 18 Jul 08
anon, OXON says...
4:21pm Fri 18 Jul 08
MW wrote:There are empty houses across the country. Investment needs to be put in communities which have been effected by industrial change.
I agree there is a chronic shortage of houses (no body can dispute that) and the houses have to be built somewhere, yes some will be in people back yards, but is a development such as this not a good thing, so we can meet the housing target rather than resorting to building on every piece of garden land, or knocking down nice houses to put blocks of flats.
Housing & employment go hand in hand Enouragement for businesses to go into these areas must be done.
For to long our area has been developed for the computers into London.
There are some that will not be happy until our area is under concrete completely.
MW, Oxford says...
4:49pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Ed wrote:I must be a better man than you...
MW wrote: If people want something enough they will get it. What is wrong with people having BTLs. The only people that complain about it are people who think they cant afford houses. I earned £15k a year and skrimped and saved for 2 years, got a deposit and bought a 3 bed house in East Oxford. Why do people expect everything to be given to them on a plate. If you want to p*ss it up a wall every Friday night then do it, just dont complain when someone sees a good opportunity that you missed out on. BTLs are an important part of the economy; not everyone wants to own their own home, and there are plenty of houses for sale for all budgets.When was that, MW? If you can earn £15k a year in 2008 and buy any property in Oxford, not to mention pay the council tax and bills, then you are a better man than I - and the rest of the population. Think before you speak such nonsense!
For the record this was 2 years ago, I now earn c£17k and have to pay bills, mortgage like the rest of the population.
Enjoy your drink tonight! :)
Ed, Oxford says...
5:11pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Your take home pay will be around £1130 a month, council tax around £100, bills around £250, food £100, mortgage payment...£700 (?)...leaves you with 50 quid or so?
That is good going. Well done you.
ricky, Oxford says...
10:25pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Sid Hunt, says...
9:52am Sat 19 Jul 08
Sarah Cornwell wrote:it is a very desirable place to live and for years the number of homes that could be built here has been severely restricted by the inability to build more than a handful at a time because of the green belt strangling the city.
Yes there is a clear reason why there is a shortage of housing in Oxford: it is a very desirable place to live and for years the number of homes that could be built here has been severely restricted by the inability to build more than a handful at a time because of the green belt strangling the city. And if the new development ends up being as balanced as Jericho and Blackbird Leys (both communities about 1/3 owner occupier, 1/3 social housing and 1/3 private rented) then that will be good too. There is a need for private rented housing too: or do you think everyone who lives in Oxford should be rich enough to buy their own place?
Do you not think that the reason it is desirable is due to the fact that the green belt makes it so? If the development of Oxford has been hampered it is due to the overbearing influence of the university.
Tom, says...
4:02pm Sat 19 Jul 08
andrew, Oxford says...
5:20pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Tom, says...
5:37pm Sat 19 Jul 08
andrew wrote:of course you do.............
I earn £10k a month net. My mortgage is £2k, the rest goes on schooling, cars and holidays. But I still cant afford the 6 bed house I want tin Boars Hill. To me, that\'s injustice.
doctor!,the patient needs more medication quickly.
Peter, Oxford says...
10:25am Sun 20 Jul 08
I earn £10k a month net. My mortgage is £2k, the rest goes on schooling, cars and holidays.
Yes but Mr Smith when are you going to answer my question above - oh and I bet you haven't included your expenses in this figure have you ?
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Ed, Oxford says...
9:36am Fri 18 Jul 08
I think if there are to be more houses then bus services to RURAL communities in the area should be funded.
The traffic going toward Didcot and Oxford over Clifton Hampden bridge each day is dreadful (over 5000 vehs) so unless they want to build a new bridge, they will have to do something as the villages can't take all this extra traffic!