This week there is an article in the Abingdon Herald saying that Aldi will be coming to the Fariracres Retail Park if they can get planning permission.
Presumably that will be in the unit vacated by Beales last year.
Over the road holes have been drilled for the pilings for the redevelopment of the Oxford Abingdon Hotel as a Hilton.
Aldi is a global chain of over 10,000 supermarkets based in Germany.
Hilton is a global chain of over 570 hotels and resorts based in the USA.
I assume that (if planning consent is given) the Hilton Group will be building a Courtyard rather than a full Hilton. It’s a shame that they haven’t taken the site by the Nag’s Head – they could have built a really interesting hotel there. Probably the access is too complicated, but it is a far more attractive site unless all you are looking to to offer is an option overnight business clientele.
Not sure that Abingdon NIMBY’s would want a Hotel in the centre of Abingdon, infact they seems to be against any type of development. Oh unless of course it was the shambles that was the hydro scheme that ripped a load of trees down and had no research done before shares were sold.
This isn’t true Chris John.
As far as I know the Hilton is being built on the site of the Oxford and Abingdon Hotel, so nothing will change, except that according to the plans it looks like a high rise.
Daniel, I like to know which part of my post isn’t true. Certainly the pop about the hydro scheme is completely true. Ill thought out and vandalism of trees at the weir site
Don’t know why people have said ‘if planning permission is given’ it was given months ago when the franchisee bought the Oxford Abingdon hotel… And plans have been available for months to show you what it looks like, will be finished in the early summer I believe, and yes it’s a courtyard.
You lot are getting slow on the uptake of readily available info… Maybe your all too worried about a tree that barely anyone took notice of anyway
The herons that nested and roosted in there every night noticed, Unknownelement.
I think you’ll find it’s “you’re” too….?
I have a very modest little rear garden. More than most, less than many. It is surrounded on all three sides by other gardens. Some equally sized, one larger. Mainly because of the sewers, but also where to hang my washing, I certainly would not like anyone to build on my 15′ X 15′ yard, and as such I am a confirmed ‘NIMBY’. As a NIMBY I am happy to tell you that I wouldn’t mind at all if a prosperous, well conceived, eruditely executed hotel were built in the centre of town. As such, this renders your assertion inaccurate.
Also, as a NIMBY, I am absolutely not against ANY type of development. I am very much against ill thought out, ‘just for profit/profit first’ development. I am against development that lines the pockets of the wealthy WHILST SIMULTANEOUSLY making the situation worse for others. I am unable to fathom why “N-NIMBYs” (non-nimby) proactively want such ill thought out development? Perhaps it’s because they are NUMTIs (Non Understanding of Main Topics Involved)?
Development in Abingdon is being done to the detriment of the town, not in support of it. Why would anyone advocate this? We of course need houses for our first time buyers….but if that were true….why aren’t there 140, 1 or 2 bedroom flats at Moorland Gardens for £125k each – to help cool the property market? Selling houses “at the going rate” just fuels the problem not resolve it.
And…what’s wrong with wanting ‘capacity’ issues dealt with FIRST….to cope with what we have…. before adding more development? Again, why are the NUMTIs against this? The primary schools are full. We are constantly asked for input to fund trips, books etc. The roads are “full”. The Drs are “full”. The buses to Oxford are “full”. Is it really that bad that “poor, ill thought out development” is fought (albeit fruitlessly)?
I didn’t invest in the hydro project…but it seemed a good idea – I appreciate it was a few years ago back when “glow-ball warm-ing” was an issue…which is now less a problem…as it isn’t on the BBC…. But, just for balance, at the hydros location, where the river detritus, the plastic, the foam, the syringes, the rubbish all used to collect…..it wasn’t a wildlife sanctuary. It was a reasonably disgusting and neglected part of the bank. Cutting down some trees and clearing the syringes and detritus and ‘injecting’ some use or life in to a tiny part of the neglected bank, on the face of it was a good idea. If you thought it was a rubbish investment that’s fair enough – don’t invest….but a beautiful and unspoiled part of the river wasn’t being used…merely a rank part of it.
I’d have more faith in all of this ‘development’ if some good came of it, before profit. But then again…it’s likely my pension is being invested in the same companies…so bring it on. Develop every dwelling in to a hamlet. Every hamlet in to a village, every village a town, every town a city…and then all of it a metropolis, a conurbation… Maybe by then we’ll have the Lodge Hill interchange on the horizon…
As long as I can still hang my washing up
Aldi isn’t going into Beales, it will be part of the re-development of the Homebase site. A great addition to the town complementing the supermarkets we already have.
Although I’m all for more brand diversity as regards food shops in the town it seems stupid to site another one where everyone has to drive to get there, the nearest houses being almost half a mile away. Really one should have been sited at the bottom of Lodge Hill or on the Circus field but both sites were too valuable as building land. As it is the town will become lop sided with all or most of the housing at one end and more shops located where no-one lives.
Has anyone thought about parking? Not only is it a nightmare to actually get to, but at a weekend it is almost impossible to get a parking space. Imagine hundreds more cars trying to park to do the weekly shop?
As probably one of the people Chris John refers to as NIMBYs I can assure you that I and most of my friends think a decent hotel on the Upper Reaches site would be brilliant – and many of us are actually tying to persuade the powers that be to make it happen.
Re the hydro, I agree with Daniel – and “a load of trees” ripped down is a bit melodramatic – there really weren’t very many and there are loads left!
A Planning application was submitted by May’s Properties on 21st December for the Aldi store site with increased car parking.
See the Vale Council website P17/V3413/FUL.
The proposed site layout plan is here http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/java/support/dynamic_serve.jsp?ID=816408169&CODE=45EA8500CC10404337FDFF76E1CE5577
There are indeed quite a few extra parking spaces, probably insufficient for peak trading times. The main issue I can see is that entry and exit is via the already inadequate T junction onto Nuffield Way at peak hours there is already a gridlock situation which an increase in traffic will only add to and expand upon.
Sorry – was viewing plan on phone and missed figures regarding parking spaces at bottom, there are laughably 65 more.
I have just had a quick look at the Ridge report which is part of the Planning application and parking will have 173 new spaces to bring the total to 490.
Badger, I rode around this area and also the ock street double roundabouts/Drayton Rd just yesterday and I can confirm that, in fact, sadly, David Nimmo-Smith and all the consultants who advise that the traffic management is adequate, are indeed correct. Sad…but true. So there should be no issue with an increase in traffic as the infrastructure can, indeed IS, coping admirably.
Admittedly this was at 23.30 last night. But, in an effort to be impartial, I drove around that area at different times, just to see how very accurate and reliable the consultants and therefore officers and therefore councillors can be that the information they are given upon which they base these decisions is sound.
I can now confirm that at 23:30 ( on more than one night) and at 05:50 on more than one morning the roads are perfectly clear. I can also say, categorically here and now, that in 100% of the time I was there I did not see even one incidence of danger to school children.
It would appear that we are in safe hands after all. The experts have their facts. And who in their right minds would argue with those!?
Monica – I concur, the ridge report does say that but equally the plan linked above suggests the same headline figure of 490 (which is all parking, disabled, mother & baby, staff, etc, etc), I believe that part of the existing car park will be lost as part of the new development as the entry road is realigned and then reappear as part of the new maximum figure/development in what appears to be a more efficient use of both the existing and new space… there is however, not enough space and no change to the Nuffield Way junction which will mean at certain times of the day exit is almost impossible.
On a different but equally contentious issue of interest to many on here have you read this http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/15799242.Old_Gaol_developer_tries_to_delay___1m_housing_payment/?ref=mr&lp=5
Well, at least there’s a small silver lining to the ongoing saga of the Old Gaol … the hideous portal on the development’s ‘river lawn’ is falling into disrepair. With any luck all of the light fittings in this aesthetic abomination will soon fail.
Apologies for re-posting that link, I found it had been discussed in the comments section of the previous 2 blog articles.
I’m not sure if it still operates but thames valley police operated a “tenure of employment” policy which meant every six years you were moved to another job or department regardless of experience etc, the reason being was it reduced the risk of complacency, cronyism and corruption through familiarity, wouldn’t it be good if the same applied to councillors and council officers ?
Food for thought eh?
Was there trees ripped out for an ill thought out hydro scheme? Yes. It doesn’t matter how many but there were. All without permission. That I’m afraid is vandalism just as bad as the vandals that rip out trees in a park or road side. Was anything done about it? No
Point proven
Deedee; the police scheme wasn’t a complete success. Imagine this scenario: you spend time and money training an advanced police driver, who qualifies and then is trained to become an accident investigation officer.
That requires the investment of a lot of time and money. After six year you redeploy that officer and all the experience and skill they have acquired. The result was that Thames Valley traffic police gradually lost very able officers who left the police service and put their considerable expertise to good use in the private sector.
I have never been in the police service, but I know three highly qualified accident investigators who left Thames Valley Police because they were redeployed under this six year scheme.
For every problem you solve, another one pops up – especially when there is no attention to the long-term effects of short-term changes.
PPJS yes I see exactly wheee you’re coming from but clearly something has to happen? Either our councillors are inept and out if their depth or the officers are ( or worse, they both are?) Abingdon cannot continue being miss managed to this degree, surely we deserve better than this ? There are enough switched on, caring people in this town to be able to ditch the mainstream party’s and firm an Abingdon party devoid of idiots and party politics?
DeeDee, it isn’t the councillors who make the decisions…so “The Common Sense Abingdon Party” will have little sway. In addition…no matter how poor, ill conceived, crazy, inadequate a planning application may be….if it doesn’t breach a planning regulation then fait accompli.
Chris John, as well as the trees they also got rid of the used syringes. But that aside, making energy from the river seemed a good idea.
Yes Daniel I get that, but how come something relatively simple as a hydro scheme that’s been successfully installed in Sutton Courtenay and now Sandford as well as many other locations couldn’t be completed here? I just don’t understand why the town has so many failures? Hydro scheme, Traffic scheme, Charter redevelopment, Upoer Reaches, Old Gaol, Old Abbey House, The Guild Hall, the list of flops just goes on and on, the towns roads are falling to bits as is the town paving ( six months now and the paving outside Ask is still a temporary repair) the gutters are clogged with weeds and Budlea, parking is a joke where Stert street traders use the loading bays as their personal parking bays as does the woman with the pink Range Rover who parks on double yellows all day in West st Helens, doesn’t anyone care about Abingdon anymore ?
Agree DD – except perhaps that the hydro was more of a private venture, rather than the council. But, you are spot on. The answer? Who knows. Ultimately I think it’s because no one is accountable.
One day, eventually, the right people will come along with not only the right intentions, but also the wit and wisdom, and guts, to make a difference….but not today. And not tomorrow.
Great news on Aldi. Those that had ever visited one would know that 50 or more cars worth of shoppers would swamp the place!
Now to get that M&S Simply Food I’ve been going on about for a while now and we’ll be sorted…
The re-do of the OAH is a welcome investment into the town. The Premier Inn is doing well, so presumably the reps are choosing to stop off on their way. The more money being spent in the town on local businesses the better.
Oh…and I went to the pop-up cinema at the Unicorn the other day. Very enjoyable! Will be back again in the the next week or so. Use it or lose it!
As I understand it, M & S made a lot of expensive demands about their unit and refused to sign a long enough lease, making it an unviable business proposition to the owners, so it was offered to Aldi, and M & S will not be coming.
M&S plan to take over the Homebase in Seacourt Botley instead. Food Hall. Don’t know if that will clash with the proposed Costa drivethrough on the site of the petrol station. Seacourt is to be ‘developed’ at some point. If ever they make a start on Westway. (VOWHDC venture?)
Well, it is lovely to see that The Veil are considering improvements somewhere. Hopefully, in between all The Veils areas being developed…..and then the time to re-spruce then up again…there may be a small chink when they get an opportunity to wonder whether Abingdon might need some thing done too?
Perhaps when we have 1000s and 1000s of houses at the airfield, to complement the 1000 at The North, which compliments all the other cardboard development sites every few hundred metres….we may get a new Spar!
Only to discover that rather than a pool, and health facilities to attract people for miles around, it will, in fact, merely be a 7/11.
To confirm the Oxford Abingdon Hotel remains family owned as it has for the passed 31 years even through the Four Pillars era. The hotel will be a franchise Hilton Garden Inn which is a 4 star focused service brand and competes with Courtyard by Marriott and Holiday Inn. The hotel will be completed by December 2018 with the existing rooms being completed prior to September.