Oxfordshire Voice Spring 2021 on Expert Advice
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Spring 2021 Campaigning to protect our rural county Oxfordshire www.cpreoxon.org.uk Voice We celebrate CPRE Oxfordshire’s Oxford Green Belt Calls for an independent 90th anniversary development plans housing assessment p.4-5 p.8-9 p.10 Oxfordshire Chairman’s voice A second Branch success has been Spring 2021 Voice an internal matter. The health of a CONTENTS long-term committee depends on a process of renewal matching the 2 Chairman’s voice stability and experience commanded by continuity. However, in the 4 CPRE Oxfordshire 1931-2021 modern world, charities up and 6 Planning updates down the Kingdom are finding the latter easier to maintain than the 8-9 Protecting the Oxford former. Not so CPRE Oxfordshire Green Belt which has attracted and, at its March 10 Independent Housing meeting, co-opted seven, yes seven, Needs Assessment new Trustees – admittedly, two coming to us because of change 11 District Updates in Chairmanship of two District Committees. With their considerable – DIRECTORY and variety of – skills and experience, Views expressed in the Voice are not Should a valedictory Chairman’s Voice the new women and men are already necessarily those of CPRE Oxfordshire, be the usual ‘tour d’horizon’, a ‘State making their presence felt and make which welcomes independent comment. of the Campaign’ message, or do our a fine addition to our Executive Editor: Julia Benning members deserve something more, Committee. You will find their names Cover: Little Wittenham/David Marsh something different? in the AGM papers, alongside those Articles, letters, comments and suggestions for articles are welcome. of other members nominated for Please contact the Branch Office below. This Chairman, on the point of election. Published April 2021 departure, has been fortunate to be able to announce two particular The Executive Committee loses, BRANCH CHAIRMAN achievements of Branch during alas, three Trustees who have each CPRE Oxfordshire Branch Peter Collins his watch and, though very much given extraordinary service over [email protected] a joint effort, reflect well on CPRE many years. Both Gill Salway and Oxfordshire for its continuing work Bruce Tremayne were not only noted DISTRICT CHAIRS over the last four years. Chairmen, Bruce even for two spells Cherwell: David Gilmour of duty, but were then and until this [email protected] One, known through the media to all, day, the first source of wisdom and Oxford: Contact the Branch Office as below is the removal by the Government of knowledge sought by the CPRE South Oxfordshire: the word and the future reality of an Committees in the Districts where Professor Richard Harding ‘Expressway’ from the vocabulary they live. They have contributed 01491 836425 concerning the Oxford-Cambridge in so many different ways to our [email protected] Arc, or now, ‘Growth Corridor’. We activities. Gordon Garraway has Vale of White Horse: Heneage Legge-Bourke can hardly be blamed for this success too, but his name, and hence our [email protected] on our own – there are a number name, is known far and wide for one West Oxfordshire: of Counties, let alone organisations particular contribution: an expertise Philippa Phelan (Chair Elect) across the Arc, which have also on the County’s footpaths and by- c/o [email protected] worked tirelessly to resist the ways, including the creation of the building of this road which would Oxford Green Belt Way for which he BRANCH OFFICE have cut a swathe through our green won a National CPRE medal. Future CPRE Oxfordshire, First Floor, 20 High Street, Watlington, Oxfordshire OX49 5PY and pleasant land. However, we can opportunities to gain advice from all (Registered office) at least claim that our organisation’s three should not be lost, and you will T: 01491 612079 prestige has given us access to find nominations as Vice-President E: [email protected] many important discussions along in your AGM papers. We also much www.cpreoxon.org.uk the way and can have done no harm regret losing our Trustee and West CPRE Oxfordshire is registered in England to the cause. We thank those of you Oxfordshire Chairman, John Histon, as Charity No.1093081 and Company No. 04443278. who have sent us congratulatory who has had to withdraw on health messages. There of course remain grounds. He is replaced by Philippa Follow us on Twitter challenges in respect of excessive Phelan and the new Vale Chairman is @CPREOxfordshire building and road ‘improvements’ Heneage Legge-Bourke. We welcome and like us on along the Ox-Cam Corridor, some them both. www.facebook.com/CPREOxfordshire continuing to threaten Oxford’s Green Belt, that will give my successor some That the Executive Committee can Design: Rob Bowker employment. speak with authority often depends Print: Severnprint Ltd 2 CPRE Oxfordshire voice Spring 2021 on expert advice. To a twenty-one imposition of undesirable diktats from year-old Lecturer at St Edmund Hall in Whitehall, in particular concerning the Heneage 1966, my senior colleagues seemed to Arc/Corridor. have some age about them. However, Legge-Bourke Ian Scargill was young then and We refuse to be submerged by maintained his youthful enthusiasm the fast increasing number of New chair of CPRE as longtime Chairman of the Oxford planning consultations emanating Vale of White Horse Green Belt Network. So, you will from Whitehall, and are working understand that it is with personal, closely with National CPRE in their as well as institutional, sadness that I response on behalf of the CPRE have now to record his retirement as Network. Our main interest has been an Honorary Consultant. Legend in his in demonstrating the importance lifetime, he has done immense good of democratic involvement of local work for Oxfordshire. We welcome people in determining decisions that Martin Harris, another experienced closely affect them. We are glad that, Green Belter in his place, and also as as a result of CPRE’s intervention, Honorary Consultant, Lisa Cheung, the Government has withdrawn a senior planner at another place, yet another of their unfortunate but maybe not a place you expect: algorithms that would inter alia have Chelsea and Kensington. doubled the currently proposed increase in housing in the Vale and Is longevity a success? That probably Cherwell Districts. depends on what has been achieved along the way. I note that this In closing this sequence of messages year records ninety years of CPRE to you, I want to express my Oxfordshire’s existence. Celebrations thanks. I have clocked up quite a Brought up on a small dairy farm will take place later in the year when few committees over the years, in the heart of The Fens in the Isle we hope to be able get together in but none have been so rewarding of Ely, Heneage was educated in person. This will give us the welcome and worthwhile as the two I have the UK, France and Switzerland. opportunity to applaud our retiring chaired for CPRE in Oxfordshire, His working life as a banker and Trustees and not forget my earlier the District Committee in the Vale corporate treasurer was mostly anticipation concerning one long- and then Branch. I am grateful for in Brazil and France from where serving member of the Executive the many friendships I have made he retired to Portugal. Returning Committee who continues as Trustee when pursuing our cause. It would to the UK in 2012 to live in Norfolk after his retirement as Treasurer. He be invidious to single out anyone in he joined the Diss and Thetford is Brian Wood, my predecessor as particular; so, I will – but not any of branch of the Citizens Advice Chairman, who has now received the my fellow Trustees on the Executive Bureau (CAB) as a Trustee and accolade of a National CPRE award. Committee, nor the ever-helpful Honorary Treasurer. Moving to the However, none of our venerable communications and administration Vale in 2017 he resigned from the figures are quite ninety yet! You friends in the Watlington Office. John CAB and became a Trustee and need not watch this space for event Harwood has brought a special and Honorary Treasurer of another information – we’ll let you know! very individual perspective to his small charity, the Association rôle as President, as well as being for Glycogen Storage Disease, Certainly a notable success great fun to work with! I was told from which he resigned in 2018. is the receipt of a substantial when I was encouraged to allow Impressed by what he had heard grant to enable us to join with my name to go forward for the post about CPRE and his appreciation Wild Oxfordshire in delivering a that it would take up perhaps eight of the importance of preserving community hedgerow project with hours of each week. My experience the beautiful countryside of the aim of reshaping and enhancing is that it is nearer eighty! That it is the Vale he became a member Oxfordshire’s landscape. We hope at all manageable is because of of the local district of CPRE in this will become an exemplar, the the assistance I have had from our 2019 joining the committee soon influence of which will extend far Director, Helen Marshall. No request thereafter. He was elected district beyond the County’s boundaries. is ever too much trouble. Every reply chairman at the beginning of 2021. Please see an article elsewhere in has been properly considered – and Father of two grown-up children this issue. we even agree on quite a lot! who both live in Portugal, he lives in the pretty village of Woolstone Our summer focus will be on I knew it was an honour when I took in the shadow of the Uffington discussions with the Oxfordshire on the rôle, and that is how it will White Horse together with his Growth Board about the ‘Oxfordshire remain in my thoughts.