Doric’s entire justification for its proposal to flatten all of Botley’s existing shops (as well as nearby housing) was neatly summarized by partner Simon Hillcox last Tuesday on Phil Gayle’s radio show: “The key statistic here, I would say, which we take on board very, very much to our hearts is that 70 per cent of people who live locally do their main shop elsewhere.”

But do they? Doric’s own data from their March consultation tell a different story. Results from their survey, which have disappeared from their website since the summer, reported that in answer to the question ‘Where do you do your main shop?’ people said: Botley/West Way (229 people – 39 per cent); Abingdon (91 people – 16 per cent); Heyford Hill (68 people – 12 per cent); Kidlington (34 people – 6 per cent).

A total of 616 people completed Doric’s survey, yet here only 422 people, representing 73 per cent of those who answered this question, are accounted for. Perhaps the missing 27 per cent are those, like me, who do their main shop online and will continue to do so, in spite of any new development. But in any case, it is plain to see that the 34 per cent of people who reported going to other hubs for their main shop is a far cry from Doric’s ‘key statistic’. Even more revealing is the breakdown by store to the ‘main shop’ question: Co-op (282 – 48 per cent); Sainsbury’s (156 – 27 per cent); Tesco (93 – 16 per cent); Aldi (81 – 14 per cent); Waitrose (72 – 12 per cent); Iceland (47 – 8 per cent).

I find it hard to image local people driving great distances to go to a Co-op, Aldi, or Iceland other than the ones that are already within walking distance. According to Doric, 70 per cent of people go to these three stores for their main shop (although perhaps the true figure is lower since these percentages total 125 per cent). Doric’s claim that their 50,000sq ft superstore “over six times bigger than Botley’s current largest food shop” will actually reduce traffic by getting locals off the main roads for their weekly bulk shop (completely ignoring, of course, the vast numbers who would need to travel into the area to support such a massive development) is laughable.

What is no laughing matter, though, is the blatant misrepresentation of local views that Doric have been using this woolly stat’ to promote. According to them, the people who do report doing their main shop locally “do that because they have little choice, in that they’re not as mobile as others, perhaps they’re slightly older” (Simon Hillcox again, in the same radio broadcast). Doric have the gall to suggest that no one chooses to do their shopping here, and that they will somehow be the salvation for such unfortunate souls who can’t drive out of the area. This flies in the face of three separate surveys, including their own, that convincingly demonstrated the high value that local people place on small, pedestrian-friendly shops and independent traders.

I do not trust people who base their claims on bad maths and malicious reconstruction of reality – and neither should Vale of White Horse District Council’s planning authority when it comes to reviewing Doric’s application.

DR CAROLINE POTTER co-chair, West Way Community Concern, Seacourt Road, Botley