OXFORDSHIRE residents should be very concerned about the advice obtained by our local councils on future development. The Oxford Spatial Options Assessment (1), published recently, has major problems:

First, the Assessment accepts the Strategic Housing Market Assessment(SHMA) which is discredited.

The SHMA assumes that new employment in Oxfordshire means corresponding housing demand, rather than people commuting in to avoid high home prices and rents.

Secondly, despite being published in September 2016, the Assessment does not allow for the Brexit process. There is evidence of a decline in home building, flattening home prices and a significant decline in infrastructure spending.

Thirdly, the Assessment includes rather casual assumptions about where the public might actually accept development. Two examples:

The Assessment envisages housing on the Southfield Golf Course (referred to throughout the document as Oxford Golf Club). Development of 1350 homes on this site was rejected before. This many homes with an average of 2 cars per home equals 2700 cars plus large numbers of service and utility vehicle movements. This could not be accommodated in the surrounding area without major traffic congestion and air pollution. The golf course and associated land, including the Lye Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest, play a vital role in flood and drainage management, contributing to the flood protection of areas such as Florence Park.

Eynsham, in the Assessment, would be the beneficiary of 6396 new homes.

This means roughly 12,792 more cars plus associated delivery and service vehicle movements etc. Would Eynsham residents accept development which more than doubles the size of their community? Diminishing spending on infrastructure and public services will not meet the needs of this large addition to the community.

It would be refreshing to see a realistic Spatial Options Assessment for our County which was the product of parish councils, amenity and environmental groups and the public in general.

Steve Dawe

COUNTY PRESS OFFICER, Oxfordshire Green Party