Posted 235 weeks ago (24/09) by Theresa Goss
Bloxham Parish Council OBJECTS to application 19/01705/OUT on the following grounds.
Cherwell Local Plan part 1: Policy Villages 2 specifies that a total of 750 homes will be delivered at Category A villages, of which Bloxham is one. Cherwell already has plans covering the 750 total. In addition, Cherwell has a full 5-year housing land supply. Therefore no more houses are required in Bloxham to fulfil the District’s commitments.
It should be noted that as part of the adopted Bloxham Neighbourhood Development plan (BNDP) there was already a commitment to build 85 houses including affordable housing (Policy BL1) and beyond that BL2 specifies remaining new houses should be limited to infill and small developments within the current building line. The proposed site is outside the Bloxham built-up limit.
The final general objection is that development has been so extensive in Bloxham over the last few years that local services and infrastructure are at capacity. Traffic and congestion, schools, facilities, culverts, etc are all struggling with the growth. Further development of major new developments such as being proposed are no longer sustainable.
Apart from these general objections, specific objections are:
BNDP BL7: The site includes a flood area that spreads onto the Rec, which has often flooded in this corner. Although the application suggests the builders can ensure there is no impact, past experience with Gladman in Wellington Park which had a similar situation is that the new houses flooded. Any building on the fields adjacent to the Rec are likely to increase the flooding risk.
BNDP BL9 (c): Traffic volumes are already causing issues on the A321 through Bloxham. Adding another 200-250 cars will exacerbate the problem further. In addition the junction directly onto the A361 at a particularly dangerous area where there have been three major crashes this year makes the road even more dangerous.
BNDP BL9(d): The Bloxham Primary School is full, and cannot be expanded further. So there are no facilities for primary school children in the new development and no prospect for any in the future.
BNDP BL11(c): Currently the entrance to the village from South Newington shows the Church spire with the green fields leading to the Rec on the left. The proposal removes the rural nature by overlaying it with housing.
BNDP BL11(f): Surrounding the Recreation ground with housing turns it from a rural open space into an urban park.
BNDP BL11(i): Placing a residential development adjacent to the Slade Nature Reserve (also a Cherwell District Wildlife Site) will cause harm to the wildlife and have a heavy impact on this rare wet woodland area.
BNDP BL12(b)(ii) and (iii): Enclosing the Rec with housing removes the open, rural nature of the space and impacts the views from the local PROWs.
NPPF para 72(b): The new development will not be sustainable because the additional traffic and congestion issues will cause issues for the village as a whole. Other services (eg dentist, primary school etc) are at capacity.
NPPF para 84: Traffic is at capacity at the South Newington roundabout with no feasible way to increase it according to OCC. In addition, speed coming into Bloxham from South Newington will make the new junction dangerous, and putting 30mph roundels on the road is not going to help. Other impacts include the Slade and the flooding on the Rec
NPPF 94: The Bloxham Primary School is at capacity and there is no scope for expansion.
NPPF 108(c): A361 traffic through Bloxham already causes significant delays and heavy congestion. The new development proposes to join the A361 directly, creating a very dangerous junction given speeds in that area. The proposed mitigation of drawing dragons teeth and 30 mph roundels is totally insufficient in terms of mitigation.
NPPF para 122: covered previously, but objections include the primary school is full, the services are full, the A361 through Bloxham is very congested, there is insufficient parking for the shops, and the Rec is currently a rural open space that is proposed to become an enclosed urban park.
NPPF para 174: The Slade, a Cherwell District Wildlife Site and Local Nature Reserve, will be subject to adjacent residential occupation to the detriment of local and rare wildlife-rich habitats.