The headlong rush to build new housing all over the south of England is giving rise to new levels of misjudgement by local councils.

Recently the Vale of the White Horse District Council (VWHDC) approved a plan to build 1,400 new houses in two locations (850 in one parcel and 550 in the other) on an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on the North Wessex Downs.

The envisaged development, which would place this huge housing estate on open, elevated, downland to the south of the village of Harwell, would create a dreadful precedent.

If it were to be approved by the inspector there would be no rational argument in future to prevent similar-sized developments on other AsONB such as, for example, the centre of the New Forest.

Today’s letters

Evidence has not been provided to support the anticipated growth of employment numbers that have been used to justify the Vale of the White Horse District Council plan. Foreseen, for example, are employment levels at the Harwell Campus that merely return it to historic levels.

In addition, the anticipated increase of 200 agricultural jobs comes at a time when the employment numbers in agriculture are plummeting and the plan, if implemented, would cover large fields with housing.

Local residents have strongly objected to the VWHDC’s proposals and their position is supported by both the AONB Management Board and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

The proposed housing allocation, should it remain in the Local Plan, includes the largest greenfield housing allocation nationally within any protected landscape (AONB or National Park) and would destroy an ancient landscape forever.

Patrick Moseley, South Row, Chilton

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.