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Councils clash over homes site
5:16am Friday 5th September 2008
Comments (9)A row has erupted over a bid by Oxford City Council to change its boundary with South Oxfordshire, to help pave the way for a controversial 4,000-home development.
The city council has asked the Boundary Committee for England to redraw its boundary to take in the land south of Grenoble Road, near Greater Leys. The area currently lies within the South Oxfordshire district.
But the city wants to take control of the parcel of land, making it the planning authority, in an attempt to speed up the housing proposals.
The move has angered South Oxfordshire District Council, which opposes any extension of the city's built-up area.
South Oxfordshire councillor Elizabeth Gillespie, who lives in nearby Toot Baldon, said: "This is completely underhand. Oxford is doing this so they can say they're not building on our Green Belt, which is there as a boundary for the city.
"If Oxford get these boundaries changed, we will get a lawyer to look at starting a judicial review to challenge it.
"Boris Johnson (the former MP for Henley) said he would stand in front of the bulldozers to stop this happening, but there would be a barricade of people in front of bulldozers if they go ahead with this development."
The Government's Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears, paved the way for the development in July when she announced changes to the region's planning blueprint, the South East Plan.
The last time the city boundary was redrawn was in 1986, when Rose Hill and Littlemore moved from south Oxfordshire.
District council leader Ann Ducker said: "We'll do everything in our power to make sure this boundary change doesn't happen.
"We have got a big fight on our hands to try to stop this and we're ready for it. This could lead to more attempts to make changes to the boundary in the Vale or in Cherwell."
A letter to the Boundary Committee from city council chief executive Peter Sloman said the Town Hall was concerned that South Oxfordshire was not approaching the plan in a "collaborative way".
City council leader Bob Price said: "We want to move to a position where we're the planning authority. If it was in our control, it would be quicker."
Deputy leader Ed Turner, the executive member for housing and strategic planning, said: "Most of the residents of these homes will work in the city, travel into the city for leisure, use city facilities like Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, so it makes sense for them to be included in the city boundary."
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abingdongirl, says...
9:47am Fri 5 Sep 08
Kathy, Bicester says...
9:53am Fri 5 Sep 08
Ed, Oxford says...
11:44am Fri 5 Sep 08
One major problem for any new housing is that many people will work in Milton Park or business parks etc on the south side of the Thames, and there is already gridlock to get over the few bridges. Building a new Thames crossing will open up many other country areas to development so this should be avoided!
We should first free up unused housing stock before building more overpriced Toytown style developments.
ken, oxford says...
12:10pm Fri 5 Sep 08
abingdongirl wrote:well said.
Het rid of all the foreigners in the UK and then we wouldnt need to build anymore houses!! trying to get a place these days is a joke!! if you are british and applying for a council house dont hold your breath cos it doesnt matter how crowded your house is or what your circumstances are you wont get one cos they are being used for others that have never worked or paid tax in their lives!!
Spud, lol says...
12:21pm Fri 5 Sep 08
abingdongirl wrote:Amen to that.She speaks the truth.
Het rid of all the foreigners in the UK and then we wouldnt need to build anymore houses!! trying to get a place these days is a joke!! if you are british and applying for a council house dont hold your breath cos it doesnt matter how crowded your house is or what your circumstances are you wont get one cos they are being used for others that have never worked or paid tax in their lives!!
Zimmer, Oxon says...
12:53pm Fri 5 Sep 08
Andrew, Oxford says...
12:54pm Fri 5 Sep 08
If the 4000 homes are officially in Oxford City (It takes less than an hour to walk from Grenoble Road to the City Centre) then 50% of the homes will be Social Housing. If the homes are in South Oxfordshire then there will only be 35% Social Housing. Therefore more homes for ordinary working people who want to own their own house rather than live off the state.
Likewise if the properties are in Oxford City, each home will only be allocated 1 parking space (hopeless considering that Greater Leys has just 2 buses an hour daytime and 1 an hour in the evening). If it was in South Oxfordshire, each 2/3 bedroom home would be allocated 2 parking spaces.
With all the whining on here, I imagine that it will come as a surprise to many people that a lot of people who live in the current G Leys don't work in Oxford. 100s of cars head straight down the A4074 in the morning to Reading - it only takes 32 minutes. Many also head to London - not bothering with Oxford Station either. It's far easier and cheaper to drive to Haddenham & Thame Parkway.
To expand south of Grenoble Road will require major improvements to the A329 to Thame as well as the A4074 south of Oxford - perhaps even a bypass for Nuneham Courtenay & Shillingford.
Adolf, Brazil says...
1:28pm Fri 5 Sep 08
Baldons parish councillors Charles Barclay and Chris Lake with villager Katie Schwarck and district councillor Elizabeth Gillespie at the site
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Paul Hutton, Abingdon says...
6:04am Fri 5 Sep 08