A planning notice has appeared on a lamppost outside Field House in West Way.
It refers to the demolition of buildings. Can you imagine how much distress this is causing the elderly people of Field House?
The plans are not actually available for the public to see at the point the notice was put up. What kind of country do we live in now?
This whole development has been encouraged by our elected representatives on Vale of White Horse District Council led by Cllr Barber.
It is clear now, as we suspected, that the so-called consultation with the people of the locality was a complete farce.
The planned West Way redevelopment is causing much concern among residents
Two-thousand, two-hundred people have signed a petition objecting to the scale of the proposals.
The local population is particularly concerned at the plan to evict 60 elderly people from their homes and demolish a perfectly adequate provision for elderly people, (it is only 25 years old) to make way for a development which the local people do not want.
The purpose of the demolition is simply to make money for the developer and the local authority.
Cllr Barber, after considerable political pressure, wrote a rather weak letter to the developer saying he thought the scale of the proposed development was too big and and asked them to take into account the views of the local people.
It would seem that the developer is treating the Vale, its elected councillors, the people of Botley, North Hinksey, Cumnor and the elderly people of Field House with equal proportions of contempt.
This is outrageous. Let us now hope and it may be a vague hope, that the planning committee will do the decent thing and listen to the valid planning objections of the people; that they will have compassion on the 60 elderly residents who will be evicted if this abominable plan goes ahead and that they will not hide behind planning gobbledegook.
VWHDC needs to realise that they must stop this outrageous proposal and bring forth an acceptable plan for the much-needed development of the West Way centre.
The needs of people, especially elderly people, should be put before the private and public desire for profit.
GRAHAM SYKES
West Way
Botley
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