Is Charlbury full?

Thu 8 Oct 2015, 22:58

Liz(L) Yes quite right about a Neighbourhood Plan and yes the consultation process will begin shortly with a town-wide questionnaire where everyone's views on planning and many other aspects of life in Charlbury will be sought. We will now be using the link on the left of this post for information and discussion about this and also on our own website at www.charlburyneighbourhoodforum.org.uk/
WE would encourage people to look at this and to use it for discussions which will all form part of the consultation process which should see a plan for what vision the people of Charlbury have for their future produced next year. Of course our District Councillors along with the Town Council with have a key role in delivery this vision

Thu 8 Oct 2015, 11:08 (last edited on Thu 8 Oct 2015, 11:09)

Charlie, what you are requesting is what Neighbourhood Plan process is all about. As I understand it a consultation is about to be launched. It would be helpful if we could have an update from the Neighbourhood Plan team every now and again. I see there is a link on this forum but nothing has been posted.

Thu 8 Oct 2015, 09:55

Liz (L) I don't think anyone believes Charlbury should swallow those numbers but how many do you feel Charlbury could absorb? Given the strong level of objection to the RB scheme, which is primarily based on its proposed location where could Charlbury grow and help the current shortage? Wouldn't it be nice to have a discussion about how Charlbury could grow in the right direction both physically and socially and this can then be reinforced by the neighborhood plan.

Sat 3 Oct 2015, 11:15 (last edited on Sat 3 Oct 2015, 12:53)

The houses on Ditchey Road are on sale for £750,000 - £950,000. Is Charlbury simply to become an enclave for the wealthy, or are we going to try and ensure that we are a diverse community? I, for one, am beginning to lose my appetite for what Charlbury could soon become, without us all thinking about how we are inclusive and caring to all.

Sat 3 Oct 2015, 09:32

Yes, I agree with all that Tony.

Sat 3 Oct 2015, 07:17

I think there is a fundamental flaw in the argument to assume developers would build homes of the type and in the location that we would like to see. It is simply a matter of making the best return by building large expensive houses of the type in the Ditchley Road developments. I believe that what most people in the Town want to see is affordable homes for local people which will largely be provided by the developments mentioned by LizL . Unrestrained development would destroy the character of our Town which is important to many residents and what I hope will come through in the Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Fri 2 Oct 2015, 22:49

Villages and small towns "getting it right" is the theme of this article (possibly drafted by the Home Builders Federation or similar) in today's Telegraph:

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/11904995/The-rise-of-Britains-camouflage-villages.html

I have mixed views about what it's saying, but it's worth a read. There's a lot to be said for housing growth if it's done right (whatever we think that might mean) and if it brings (or at least helps to bring) social and economic viability.

Fri 2 Oct 2015, 20:12

But these numbers may prove out of date. The pressure to build new homes in Oxfordshire is huge. Why can't we build more homes here? What would it mean for the town and the town centre and our services? If we get it right, it could be really good for the town and its residents....

Fri 2 Oct 2015, 08:55 (last edited on Fri 2 Oct 2015, 08:59)

The Burford/Charlbury area is scheduled to accommodate a further 800 houses between now and 2031, but that doesn't mean that Charlbury has to accommodate 400 of them. The area includes a lot of villages where there may be quite a few small windfall sites. There is a small site of this type being built in the centre of Charlbury at the moment. The Ditchley Road plan which has recently been approved, together with the new Little Lees site and Rushy Bank, if they are approved, would take care of a significant number of the houses we have to find space for here. These all count towards the total in the plan.

Thu 1 Oct 2015, 15:08 (last edited on Thu 1 Oct 2015, 15:39)

If not where can it grow? I've been redirected to the forum to ask this question. My reading of the local plan WODC are proposing that over three quarters of all future housing in our immediate area should be on Windfall Sites (which means previously unidentified land). Nearly all of the area is within the AONB and yet the plan is that 25 new houses a year need to be built on windfall land every year until 2031 to meet the proposed targets. Can Charlbury plan to accommodate any of these 400 new houses or is it full?