CHERWELL District Council is consulting on where to build 4,400 houses. Cherwell held its Kidlington Exhibition on Monday, which appeared well attended, despite many I’ve spoken to being unaware of the proposals.

Because of its proximity to Oxford, Kidlington and the surrounding Green Belt are favourites. If the objective is to relieve Oxford’s housing shortage, then a rethink is required.

The people needing housing in Oxford are probably working at the main employment centres – BMW, the hospitals, the industrial sites off the eastern by-pass and the retail parks. If you house 10,000 people to the north, how do they get to work each day in the south, west and east of the city? The county council is discussing ‘Rapid Transit Routes’, whatever they may be. The county’s been discussing for decades a plan to duel the A40, a by-pass from the A40 to Headington Roundabout and now a link from the A40 to the mini Peartree roundabout. Given the 19 months taken to reconfigure a couple of roundabouts, lets not hold our breath.

Houses close to Oxford Parkway may seem attractive, but I suspect mainly to those working and living in London, who may see relocation attractive. That will only add to Oxford’s problems.

Perhaps we should provide housing closer to where people work. This is the biggest threat to Kidlington that I can remember.

There’s an open meeting at Exeter Hall at 7.30pm, on January 4. We have until the January 9 to respond to the consultation.

MARK LOWEN

Kidlington