Monthly Archives: March 2013

Annual Abingdon-on-Thames Parish Meeting

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This evening was the annual parish meeting held by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council to let people know what has been happening in the last year. Big events in the last year were the jubilee and re-opening of the museum. There are ongoing big plans for the Guildhall.
Guildhall Plans
There will be an exhibition showing those Guildhall plans about 18-20 April to include the cinema/theatre design, better accessibility to the historic rooms, as well as improving the general ambiance and look of the modern Abbey Hall.
Number of Houses
The number of homes in Abingdon has been reduced from 12,683 to 11,580 in the last year for council tax purposes. People claiming council tax relief no longer count as part of an accounting exercise – pushing the responsibility for council tax relief onto local councils. It means a relatively small loss for the town council this year as there are transitional arrangements but that could be taken away.

We also learned:
* Allotments have had a difficult year through flooding.
* More dog bins will be provided where there is a problem.
* Abingdon in Bloom will be re-launched this year. It was called off last year.
* Work on the MG gardens has progressed well over the winter months.
MG Garden
* At the end of the year, when the lease ends, town council offices will be moving into Roysse Court above the registry office.
* The cemetery will fill up in 12-15 years. About £300K has been saved towards a new cemetery.
* People have praised the town council for its work helping to keep pavements clear during snow.
* The new Garden of Remembrance will soon be open for ashes.
* The James May program about mechanised Bun Throwing will be broadcast in a couple of months time.
* The Town Council planning committee voted down having Greene King replacing traditional pub signs.
Pub Signs
The town council play equipment budget will be re-instated, although town council play equipment is in a very good state.

Abingdon Passion Play – 12 days to go

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Abingdon Passion Play
On Palm Sunday at 2pm in the Abbey Gardens the Abingdon Passions Play will begin and run for about 2 hours.

The play needed a Donkey and one was found one thanks to an appeal and article in the Abingdon Herald.
Abingdon Passion Play
They needed Roman Soldiers and now some have been found thanks to the Can Do Martial Arts who will swap kimonos for tunics and armour.

There will be choirs and bands – lots of community groups will take part. There will be performers, and a crowd.

The crowd can start to mingle from 1pm on Palm Sunday when the Abbey Gardens will become Jerusalem and Abingdon -> Abingammergau. Each scene will take place in a different location within the Abbey Gardens: from Jesus’ triumphal entry on the donkey, his arrest and false trial, and finally his crucifixion and the resurrection. The crowd can follow the action as it unfolds.

In the case of heavy rainfall the performance will take place in St Helen’s Church.

Draft Housing Plans until 2029 – nothing major in Abingdon

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The draft local plan for the Vale of White Horse District until 2029 will be on view tomorrow (Tue 12 March, 12-7pm, Abbey Shopping Centre). There is also a chance to see an unmanned version of the plan at the Guildhall, or on the Vale’s website.

Most of the new houses will be in Wantage, Grove, Faringdon, and particularly Harwell. No major new developments are anticipated in Abingdon before 2029 because there is “significant existing highway congestion within the sub-area” and “Abingdon on Thames has experienced sustained growth over the last few decades.”
Draft Plan to 2029
As to the proposed 160 houses in a field to the the South of Abingdon, they would not be allowed by the draft plan because of traffic. But as there is no saying what the planning appeals inspector might decide leaflets are going round South Abingdon saying you have until 15th March to make comments to the Planning Inspector.
Draft Plan to 2029
As to the newer proposal for 60 houses in a field north of Abingdon (bottom end of Radley Road and bordering the Peachcroft Estate), that area is not mentioned in the plan either.

In the longer term it is admitted that Abingdon has to be allowed to grow or be left behind. So the plan says “The least constrained areas of undeveloped land lie to the south of the town. However, strategic housing growth could only be sustainably accommodated alongside the development of a town centre bypass which would need to be appropriately funded.”
Draft Plan to 2029
There is little prospect of money to fund such a bypass even with developer funding, and so a track of land is secured for a future generation if they have means to build a bridge and road. The track runs from near Culham, across the River Thames, then between rugby pitches and sewage works, crosses the Drayton Road near Oday Hill, before heading round across the flood plain to Tesco.