I was somewhat surprised to see Oliver Chapple’s response to my letter recently, as he must have written this before we had an amicable meeting to discuss our different views about the proposed housing development in Milton under Wychwood.

There was no intention to promote any prejudice against incomers, as I am fully aware that many of them have enhanced the quality of life in the village because of their wider experience of life. The point I was making about the perceived superiority of some of them is valid, and the people concerned will know who they are.

Oliver refers to 620, which I understand is the number of people who signed a petition mainly at the village fete in July, 10 days before the proposal was discussed at the parish council meeting which I missed as I was away. But I have heard a lot about it from people who did attend.

Many people signed because they did not want a development of 400 houses on the whole of the field, when the proposal has always been for 70 houses in an area which would round off the village, and not extend beyond the last existing house on that road.

Today’s letters

Judging by Brian Sinfield’s letter, there is still a false belief that such a large development is planned. It may happen in future if the need for more houses continues to increase, but the present plan cannot set a precedent. There has been a lot of scaremongering, and I know of people who were intimidated into signing that petition, and of others who were shunned for refusing to sign it.

As for the untidy posters that have appeared in the village, the number of them do nothing to support Oliver’s belief that the vast majority of villagers are against the development. I have been told that the Action Group went door to door on the main thoroughfares of the village and persuaded people to display them. If you walk around the other roads in the village, as I do several days a week, the lack of posters is more noticeable, and I doubt that as many as a quarter of houses display them.

Margaret Ricketts, Wychwood Drive, Milton-under-Wychwood

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