I am writing concerning the Oxford City Council’s planning and housing policy scandal.
Councillor Bob Price (‘This won’t meet needs, July 12) and Councillor Mary Clarkson (ViewPoints, July 12) fail to understand the impact of the council’s short-sighted housing policies.
Councillors need to appreciate professional workers can’t afford “affordable housing” mentioned on most developments including Barton. People are forced to buy elsewhere and commute, increasing traffic, pollution and wasting expensive fuel supplies.
The council has sold pockets of community land for private development. Why didn’t they stipulate only social housing due to severe shortages of this provision?
Communal sports facilities, such as Temple Cowley Pools, must be retained not sold off to allow housing developers to make huge profits.
Planning councillors appear devoid of compassion and vision for present and future generations in their community.
There also needs to be a ‘Bullfinch’-style investigation to expose the growing number of unscrupulous private landlords who buy up the bulk of housing in Oxford. Some are sending decoy ‘family groups’ to purchase houses at a reduced price. Then they are building or internally altering – creating sub-standard accommodation. They charge excessive rents, encouraging overcrowding. Tenants are then too frightened to report landlords.
The council enables bad practices – ie selling to these developers, not passing on costs of extra infrastructure provision required, lax rules (they don’t enforce original plans) or they fail to ensure repairs to neighbouring properties through damage when these builds are carried out.
This unfair advantage and high rentals prevent people the ability to save and buy their own home.
ELAINE BENNETT, Marston Road, Oxford
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