AS I came out of the public exhibition presenting Mace’s plan for West Way in Botley, I was asked what I liked about their proposals.

Well... I liked the blue skies in every picture. (How are they going to deliver?) I adored the 30-metre high building that will put Elms Parade in its right place and make Seacourt tower look more in keeping with the style of the area – long overdue!

As a local resident, I am also delighted to help Mace support their student residence business by welcoming 276 students that neither university wants here.

Our neighbourhood can consider itself lucky: if Mace ran incineration plants, they would probably offer one as ‘beneficial’ for our community - with the support of the Vale of the White Horse, undoubtedly.

I also loved the imaginative traffic scheme that mingles schoolchildren, bicycles and cars in narrow lanes. I am impressed too by the magic that will allow shoppers to find parking spaces available when there are only 300 planned in a scheme that involves more than 270 student rooms plus 130 flats. This will nicely complete the traffic gridlock that has been building up in the area.

Sunny times ahead in Botley!

GENNY RAMIREZ
Cumnor Rise Road, Oxford