In 2019, the Town Council initiated a neighbourhood plan. A steering group of residents, chaired by Simon Hill, has been developing this plan to help plan Abingdon’s future in several key areas: heritage and town centre, green spaces, families and young people, walkable neighbourhoods and transport, and business and economy.

The draft Neighbourhood Plan is available and will soon be submitted for examination by an independent planning inspector. Before this, the plan is open for public consultation until February 10, 2025, to allow final modifications.

The consultation can be found by following the Town Council’s link https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan

Key aims of the plan include:
* New developments should not add to congestion or flood-risk
* Enhance pedestrian and cycle routes through town
* Improve the sustainability of conversions and new build homes
* Preserve Abingdon’s unique character, historical sites, and scenic views
* Protect, maintain, and enhance the natural environment
* Protect existing, and deliver new easily accessible, community infrastructure

For more detail, refer to the full 80-page plan. While some sections, particularly the policy documents, seem to be written for planning professionals, other parts offer interesting insights into Abingdon’s past, the challenges it faces, and the proposed future direction.

If approved by the inspector, the plan will be put to a referendum. Should the plan receive majority support from Abingdon voters, it will become a formal part of the planning policies used by the district council, alongside the district council’s own plan.

Both plans look forward to 2041. That is so long as the district council exists up to 2041. (There are early discussion in parliament about new unitary authorities that could supersede the current district councils. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gjz2lpj1po.)

On 31st July 2024, Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council approved the draft Neighbourhood Plan, a document that outlines a vision for the town until 2041.

The plan was developed by a dedicated group of volunteers with support from local councillors and organisations.

There will be a consultation on the draft plan after which a revised version will be formally submitted. If that meets legal requirements, the plan will be put to a public referendum vote. If successful The Neighbourhood Plan becomes a formal document that must be considered in planning decisions.

At the beginning of the draft plan is a vision and some aims and objectives which begin ‘Ensure that land made available for new developments better facilitates and maintains a vibrant, connected, economically active and sustainable Abingdon without adding to congestion or flood-risk.’

To read more see the draft plan is at: https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Draft-Neighbourhood-Plan-July-2024.pdf

The Abingdon Town Council noticeboard is usually a colourful mix of community event posters and council committee updates. Lately, however, committee papers have dominated. I did find some things of interests:

There is the consultation by the Vale of White Horse District Council on redrawing district council boundaries. In Abingdon that will mean instead of having 5 wards with 2 councillors each, the district council will be three wards (Abingdon North, South, and East) with 3 councillors each. Comments can be made until 16th September. See Have your say on a new political map for vale of white horse district council/.

Abingdon could be loosing a Nail Bar. Its entrance is the doorway between Costa and Starbucks. It was the first Abingdon Nail Bar but now there are several and it could become a flat.

Regarding the Old Gaol development which included plans for three retail spaces to complement the flats. Currently, one space houses Costa and another serves as a dentist. The proposal under consideration suggests converting the remaining unit into flats. However, the Town Council’s Planning Committee argues for maintaining the original agreement.

The Thames Water Reservoir consultation ends on Wednesday, 28 August 2024 (apologies I said 28th July by mistake) . See: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/news/reservoir-public-events-start.

The post box on the Market Place is sometimes used to post What’s On posters. This Saturday the Oxford Welsh Voice Choir are performing at St Helens.

Today, the polls were open for the 2024 general election. From 7 am to 10 pm, power shifted away from the Houses of Parliament and Abingdon Street SW1, returning to the people in communities like ours. Here in Abingdon, after providing a name, address, and photo ID, people could mark an X next to their chosen candidate. The sunny weather should have encouraged a good turnout. People thinking the result a foregone conclusion could have kept people at home.

In Oxford West and Abingdon, the race is typically much tighter, with the constituency frequently swinging between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. But you could get 12-1 betting odds on a Conservative victory this time around. The Liberal Democrats were not taking anything for granted. They were the one party with volunteers stationed at polling stations to record voters’ polling numbers. This strategy allows them to call and remind known supporters to cast their votes.

Here are the results:
Social Democratic Party, Anni Byard: 259
Green, Chris Goodall: 3,236
Reform UK, James Gunn: 4,164
Liberal Democrat, Layla Moran: 23,414 (elected)
Independent, Josh Phillips: 168
Conservative, Vinay Raniga: 8,520
Christian Peoples Alliance, Ian Shelley: 256
Labour, Stephen Webb: 5,981
(Turnout: 64.5% – 45,998 valid votes were counted from an electorate of 71,318)

Congratulations to Layla Moran!