Holiday Lodges in Wychwood

Thu 16 Feb 2006, 15:35

Bit of an expensive trade off! And a separate issue surely?

Tue 14 Feb 2006, 23:47

If we get some impetous for Sustrans cycle paths around the area - Stonesfield-Woodstock-Oxford, or Chippy or Witney or points west - then that would be nice.

Tue 14 Feb 2006, 08:54

I agree completely with Katie's point about starter homes. This should be the priority in an area where housing is so scarce. I have already noticed local estate agents advertising smaller properties for sale as ideal for first time buyers OR as a holiday home!
I also agree with Neil that it is hard to see how the lodges would succeed without additional tourist development - quad bike hire anyone?

Derek - there is also a news piece on the Borthwick Valley development on the BBC website.

Fri 10 Feb 2006, 13:06

Wouldn't it be more useful to build 90 'starter homes' so that some of the local young people and their families could have a place to live of their own? Instead, builidng all these holiday lodges is just going to encourage more people with spare cash to come and snap up weekend homes in our area. I would hope that when it comes to planning permission, it will be refused on the basis that it doesn't fit in to the local plan......time will tell. I am really concerned that the increase in traffic will contribute to the accident rate on what is already a bit of a blackpot.

Thu 9 Feb 2006, 16:25

Further to Jane's comment i have attached links below that may be of interest re: the Craik development. The amendemed proposals (log cabins)are a lot better than the orginal proposal of static caravans. The links are from the developers site so this should be bourne in mind when reviewing.

http://mdl-group.com/webdb/downloads/abbreviated_app.pdf
and
http://mdl-group.com/sale/scotland/borders/craik/craikplanning

I can understand why residents don't want it, having probably lived thier whole live in what could be discribed as near isolation only to have a fleet of 'chelsea taxis' chasing the sheep down the road.

Having said that it's just up the road from where i was born so i'll pop by when i am there at the end of the month!!

Thu 9 Feb 2006, 16:06

It may be that from the 90 Lodges will flow these local tourist facilities. That the next stage of the development would be the Centerparcs kind of activities.
I can't see Finstock being enough of a diversion to give all those happy campers access to the kind of things they might want to do.
I must admit I can't realy see WHY they would put 90 houses in a place like that, or why anyone would want to go there. Unless there is more to come.
This part of Oxfordshire is a residential area after all, broken up by fields and Cornbury Park, but residential nonetheless. There are not acres of open land to roam about on, nor the attraction of the deep blue sea.
The only place that could provide 'holiday' facilities there would be within Cornbury park itself.

Wed 8 Feb 2006, 17:44

Charlbury and Finstock residents may be interested in the progress of an analogous development - a scheme to build 63 lodges, 15 houses and a shop in woods next to the tiny border village of Craik in Roxburghshire. Type "Borthwick Valley Action Group" or "Borthwick Valley development" into your search engine to unearth some of the issues involved there.

Fri 3 Feb 2006, 11:10

According to Wikipedia:

Lodge has several meanings, in most cases relating to a meeting or dwelling place:

As a place:

* Hunting lodge, a place to stay when hunting
* Ski lodge, a place to stay when skiing
* Beaver's lodge, a nest
* Black lodge, a meeting place for practitioners of black magic

As a level of organization in a fraternal group:

* Masonic Lodge

Personally, I think we have enough Masons congregating at Cornbury Park but the Beavers woud be a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.

Tue 31 Jan 2006, 09:03

There is likely to be a diversity of opinion on the development; positioning 90 wooden holiday lodges on a managed 40-acre site in a quiet forest will make it redolent enough of Centre Parcs for some - perhaps many - people. I think it would therefore be sensible of the estate to present its proposals to as many people living in the area as possible. Tourist facilities and services may benefit but there are many more interests than theirs to be considered. I think potentially it would be negligent not to consult as widely as possible.

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 17:14

I would suggest that you contact the estate on 01608 811276, for more information.

It is very unlike Centre Parcs, as it does not include any entertainment facilities or services. As far as I can see it is intended that local tourist facilities and services should benefit from the chalet users, thought this is not explict in the presentation.

Hope this adds to the debate.

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 15:45

The big poster-size plans that were posted in Finstock Village Hall give the clearest impression of what the scheme entails. It's a pity they aren't reproduced on the website - that might be quite useful. But failing that it would be good if everyone could have a chance to see them.

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 15:38

http://www.cornburypark.co.uk/holiday_lodges.php

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 15:33

I had not heard about this - where are the presentations advertised?

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 14:34

I'm concerned that I'll misrepresent it to you! I did get the impression of a mini Centre Parcs - substantial-looking wooden lodges in a managed site with a reception area and conifer planting,cycle paths / 'pedestrian' paths. I wonder if it would be worth having the Estate's mini exhibition posted in the Memorial Hall or Corner House for a few days, so people could see for themselves? I certainly think as many people as possible ought to be able to see it.

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 12:36

What is the proposal in general. 90 Lodges sounds a lot but are they to be spread over the whole 40 acres? Is it to be like a 'mini' centerparc?

Mon 30 Jan 2006, 09:39

I wondered if people were aware yet of the proposal by Cornbury Estate to site 90 holiday lodges in a 40-acre site of Wychwood Forest - the site adjacent to the Finstock/Leafield/Witney Road crossroads. I attended one of the presentations in Finstock on Saturday, but am not aware that the proposal has been publicised yet in Charlbury. Clearly it would alter the character of our area. I wonder what people feel about it, and whether Cornbury might be asked to present in Charlbury too.