A FINE mess has been created by Doric and the Vale of White Horse District Council regarding the West Way development.
By what process has it come about?
It appears that some 18 months ago, the Vale council received 13 different proposals for a modest scale development and refurbishment of West Way and, at this stage, they held a public consultation.
Subsequently, the Vale entered into a contract to sell relevant land to Doric who proposed a development on a drastically larger scale, therefore having little to do with that of the earlier competition.
John Grimshaw is critical of the West Way development
The Oxford city principal planning officer has pointed out this proposal has ramifications for the whole surrounding area including West Oxford.
The plan also involves the demolition of all the existing shops, as well as amenities and sheltered housing. Compulsory purchase of properties could be required.
Apparently this new scheme has been proposed without the Vale consulting the city council, least of all the public and the people whose livelihoods would be threatened.
Furthermore, we are told the contract for sale of Vale-owned land to Doric is subject only to planning permission, an arrangement appearing to involve a conflict of interest.
The whole process strikes me as scandalous. I know nothing about the legalities of local authority planning and development procedures, and I assume due process has been followed in bringing forward this drastic scheme of such inappropriate magnitude as Doric proposes.
So there must be something wrong with the procedural regulations to have allowed it to happen.
JOHN GRIMSHAW
Barn Close
Oxford
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