Plans for 159 houses in a field south of Abingdon was rejected by the VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council) Planning department without even going to committee. The plans were then allowed on appeal by an external inspector so long as some pedestrian traffic lights were installed on Marcham Road and Ock Street, so that traffic in South Abingdon would be no worse than before the houses.

The responses to a consultation on those traffic lights are to be considered at a meeting of the county council’s cabinet member for environment on March 27. The consultation received 125 responses, mostly objections and concerns. The Town Council has objected but not VWHDC.

However the County Council officers are recommending approval, and has not given much weight to all the objections to the scheme. The idea of a trial was also put forward but the County Council officer thinks that would just confuse people.

A new sign has already gone up in front of the field suggesting that the land has now been acquired by the developer who will actually build those houses. Hallam, the company who got the rights to build, are presumably just a specialist is getting planning permission.

It is still for County Councillors to decide, so have Taylor Wimpey jumped the gun?

P.S. VWHDC did object but it did not get into the report. Mindful of the VWHDC objections, The Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet member considered the matter and then indicated that he was minded to reject the application for the lights.

The draft local plan, written in 2013, is having to be revamped to include 7,430 more houses in the Vale area. The Vale of White Horse District Council had an exhibition in the Abingdon Guildhall to start the consultation on these additional proposals. Unfortunately there was some mix up and the Vale planning department had to use the Cloakroom for the exhibition.

The Vale and South Oxfordshire area is predicted to have lots of new jobs and so more houses will be needed.

80% of the houses could go in the South East Vale area: that is Harwell, Milton Heights, and the outskirts of Didcot. 8% could be built in Abingdon.

410 of those could be in North Abingdon.

A further 200 could be in North West Abingdon. This housing would be so close to the A34 they will need noise mitigation measures.

There followed a public meeting. Unfortunately the Roysse Room, was over capacity, and so people had to be turned away. I could not get in so will be interested in comments about the meeting.

There is more information about this consultation at VWHDC Local Plan Part One. You can provide your comments on the updated proposals there until 4pm on 4 April 2014.

The 43-bed Mayott House care home on Ock Street is being demolished. The former residents have moved to new homes, some to Old Station House, some to other care homes,and I did hear were very pleased with the change.

Mayott House was first opened fifty years ago to care for elderly people. In 1998 the operation of the home and staff was transferred from Oxfordshire County Council to a charity.

It is to be replaced by a housing scheme for up to 42 people – designed to allow residents to live more independently than in a care home, keep couples together, and with access to 24-hour care.

65 Oxford Road was surrounded by shrubs and trees when the Google Street View camera came through Abingdon.

Here is 65 Oxford Road as it looks today. Not a blade of grass remains.

Permission to demolish the original house and replace it with two detached houses was obtained subject to certain conditions, including the protection of trees.

A report, previous to this planning application, from August 2009, says that there were 11 trees (2 of high quality, 3 of medium quality, 5 of lower quality, and 1 of inferior quality).

Thanks to Pat for 2 of the pictures and Google for the other.