The Peachcroft Field Action Group have won the first round. The Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) has refused Radley College permission to build 55 houses on land designated as Greenbelt.

According to the VWHDC decision the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) only allows development on Greenbelt for:

• buildings for agriculture and forestry;
• provision of outdoor sport/recreation and for cemeteries
• extension or alteration to a building
• replacement buildings
• limited infilling in villages
• redevelopment of previously developed land.

The development does not seem to meet any of those criteria but, not being an expert, I have no idea whether Radley College will have grounds for appeal.

The Abbey Baptist Chapel down Checker Walk has been closed over the summer undergoing building work.

The entrance area used to look quite different. It is being remodeled, while inside more space has been created for a bigger balcony, as well as better toilet facilities down below.

The Abbey Baptists have been meeting in the Roysse Room at the Guildhall over the summer but should soon be back in their own building, even though there is some external work to do.

The Abingdon Anglo-German Club also normally use the Abbey Baptist building and will soon return.

Founded in 1982, the club’s aim is to stimulate interest in Anglo-German cultural and social pursuits. Their first talk of the season entitled Beethoven’s Piano Music: the sublime, the Comic, the Transcendental and the merely Human will be at the Salvation Army Citadel.

These neighbouring houses on the Marcham Road are currently used for education. The buildings are too big for your average family home and so have found other uses – first business and now education. But as the need for housing grows they could become housing again on a smaller scale.

The one that was the Radcliffe Publishing Company until two years ago now houses a nursery. That nursery moved in 2012 from another large house not far away on the Faringdon Road in Abingdon. Before the plans for the nursery the landlords had previously got planning permission to change the house to flats with smaller units of housing behind. I don’t know if that will happen now the nursery has moved in, but it could be still an option.

Next door is a school described as ‘Outstanding’ by Oftsed for young students with dyslexia.

The Landlord has recently obtained planning permission to convert that particular house back to housing, with extra housing behind.

But that will not happen quite yet. The school had the painters in over summer. And the school has an agreement with the landlord that they can stay until they find somewhere better. But the growing demand for housing means that large houses like these two have the option to become houses again – split up into flats hiding new small houses behind.

More scaffolding has appeared along Bridge Street today – this time with yellow netting which matches the flower display.

After years of being ‘To Let’ somebody is moving into the offices above the Registry Office, with the view onto Roysse Court. That somebody is Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council who took over ownership of the Guildhall and Roysse Court from the Vale of White Horse District Council in April 2011.

The Town Council is planning to move from its leased offices in Old Abbey House to their own offices in the Guildhall and Roysse Court.