Issue No. 8 October 2007 Recent White Papers admitting lower standards of design. we had Steve Howell, head of transport at – The burden of objecting to such Oxfordshire County Council and Jacqui Cox, a Planning White Papers developments should not be placed on senior member of his department, to answer neighbours, who may have little knowledge questions at a Forum open to all members. Mention was made in an earlier Newsletter of of what is acceptable or may be afraid to They made it clear that the main impediment the Planning White Paper released by the object. to our proposals was, inevitably, cash. Having Department of Communities and Local – The proposal to allow “minor” appeals to be regard to the overall County Council budget, Government and containing major proposals dealt with by local councillors (“Local remarkably little was available for expenditure to change the current planning system. These Member Review Bodies”) is unrealistic, on new road construction, and most of this proposals included:- since the they cannot be expected to – The abolition of the need for full scale exercise the same level of detachment as planning permission for small scale the Planning Inspectorate. improvements which make no impact on neighbours. A further White Paper has been raised by the – Greater freedom for industrial and Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The commercial building development. Heritage White Paper aims to produce a more – A fast track appeals system. unified approach to the protection of the – More freedom for shopping development historic environment which it proposes should outside urban centres. be placed at the heart of the planning system. The Civic Trust again worked with interested – Government appointed independent Revd. George Fryer at the Civic Society bodies to provide a collective response to the commissions to consider and give consent stand on Canal Day for large scale infrastructure projects such government. It is very likely that there will be was, inevitably, committed to the Oxford City as roads, airports and power stations with a conflict between the respective objectives of area – a project regarded as being of regional consultation usually being limited to a 9 the two White Papers and it will be interesting significance. He indicated that the only real month period. to see which will prevail! prospect of such work being done at an early – Developers having to consult public and date was through developer funding. Is the main interested parties. Canal Day local planningauthority maximising its The Society’s parent body, The Civic Trust, is opportunities to raise finance from this source participating in a coalition of organisations Transport Theme and is it ensuring that the road scheme is part such as Friends of the Earth, RSPB and The Society again had a stand at the recent of the long term local plan? CPRE campaigning against some of the more Canal Day Celebrations in Banbury. This time damaging proposals in the White Paper. our publicity related to the strategy for the The speaker dealt with a wide variety of Responses are flooding in as a consequence town’s highways in response to the ever topics, such as possible Park and Ride of this campaign. The following are a brief increasing traffic demands facilities for the town and also the concept of selection:- a Banbury Parkway railway station, which has We highlighted, in particular, the need for – In deciding major infrastructure projects all proved so successful at Warwick and measures to enable traffic from the north of other options should be considered and Haddenham. the town and from the motorway to access the locally affected people must be consulted, south and west without the need to go through The next Banbury Traffic Advisory Committee – Decisions to be made by democratically the town centre – achievable by a new road meeting takes place in early December and accountable politicians, not an unelected from the southern end of Ermont Way leading members are asked to notify the Secretary of commission. through what is still open countryside to the any matters they would like to be raised by – There must be a legal right for local people th Oxford Road south of the town. 16 November. to challenge projects at a public inquiry, which must include the chance to A spur off such a road, possibly along the line Planning and the historic reconsider the need for the infrastructure of the former LMS railway track, to the environment and not simply the details of its southern side of the new development on the implementation. site of the former cattle market, could give Planning issues direct access to Banbury railway station and – The proposal that a developer must consult In late July an application was made to restyle any new parking facilities created by Chiltern with the public from the earliest possible the Coach and Horses public house in Butchers Railways. It would also relieve traffic along the stage is welcomed. Of equal importance is Row as a modern drinking hall catering to the Middleton Road and help to reduce traffic that consultation should continue thereafter younger market. The proposal involved opening accessing the station from the west. through all stages of the planning process. out the interior and back yard and replacing the – The proposed removal of about one quarter Our publicity attracted considerable support sash-style windows and door on the ground floor of “householder” applications from the and was of particular interest to facade with a full length glass shop front. The planning process by making them representatives of Chiltern Railway, who were proposal also involved opening out two original “permitted development” will inevitably lead principle sponsors of the event. blind windows on the upper storeys, even though to environmental degradation by On the very next evening it was opportune that these were original features designed to give architectural symmetry to the front elevation. Highways and traffic Please write to: Following our observations the application was The Independent Reconfiguration Panel approved, but only after a more sympathetic Kieran Cross, First Floor, 11 The Strand scheme had been submitted, leaving the ground Parsons Street London, WC2N 5HR A consultation document has been produced by floor windows and door unaltered. The CDC for extending pedestrian circulation in the -Or email your comments to the panel at replacement of the two blind windows above with town centre. At this stage it only deals with [email protected] matching sash-style windows was allowed. We Parsons Street. If integrated into the existing are content that this will not significantly harm the If you have Internet access, please also add pattern of movement by foot it should boost the building’s external appearance. your name to the Downing Street petition town’s attractions. Once pedestrians have priority http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SAVE-THE-HORTON/ In late August a proposal came forward to replace over vehicles for much of the day this street Enclosed is a copy of the open letter from the the Texaco service station on Middleton Road should attract more shoppers and encourage Civic Society sent to the Independent with a gated courtyard of 14 apartments. Whilst further specialist trading. Much of the report’s Reconfiguration Panel re. the proposed the site is currently an eyesore, we felt obliged to language is the sort urban environmentalists use reorganisation of the Horton Hospital. object to the application on grounds of design and and it could be seen as an implementation plan proposed use. With regard to the former, we felt for this part of the Central Conservation Area. that the proposal was a weak example of LOTS Project Added environmental improvements would allow ‘developer pastiche’ that did not do justice to this scope for re-surfacing, much more flexibility in the key gateway to Banbury, which also lies on the ‘Living Over The Shop’ use of town centre spaces and good public edge of the Grimsbury Conservation Area. With (LOTS) project seating. Security would be enhanced by good regard to use, we were disappointed that the lighting. Opportunity for relaxation, open air Following the well-attended preliminary Seminar proposal was for yet more small flats. Cherwell events and meetings would be much improved. in July, a Working Group has now been set up as planning policy is particularly clear about the Money has been set aside for making a start on a Sub-Committee of the Civic Society. Its council’s aspirations for this part of Middleton this and further consultation on the physical Chairman, Cllr John Gazey, will report to the Road to develop as ‘Grimsbury Local Centre’, design proposals will be made in 2008. Society's Committee at its monthly meetings. where the Council is keen to extend the range of At the Working Group's first meeting on 20th local services and facilities. In particular, the The Society has welcomed the concept with a September, attended by eight Society members Council has identified the need to create a strong few reservations. Much consultation with existing and Mr Noel Towe (Chair of Banbury District frontage and regards the sites of the former traders has yet to be undertaken. With regard to Housing Coalition), good progress was made Bridge Motors and Texaco Garage and the STS the issue of living accommodation over shops, towards a plan of action. This will begin with a Tyre and Exhaust Centre as having have highlighted elsewhere in this newsletter, the effect survey of premises and their ownership in the potential for small-scale employment or retail of the scheme on future Parsons Street residents High Street, Parsons Street and Church Walk. uses on the ground floor with residential above.