At a packed and emotional Planning Committee meeting tonight, the VOWH deferred it’s decision on the PYE planning application until further notice.

A large number of objectors attended the meeting to make their objections clear.

After listening to the planning Officers reasons for recommending the planning application to the Committee, most of the audience were left wondering if he was looking at the same application they were…
No, there was no drainage problems, unspecified traffic calming measures would be put in place, and the development would be put in a small out of the way site, which would not inconvenience anyone!

When it became time for the public response, a lot of powerful arguments were put forward, special mention should go to the presentation of David Hignell and Gervase Duffield, local Councillors, together with Pauline Wilson, representing KSCR.
To the Planning Committees credit they allowed a special, very emotional, appeal by Kevin Nicholls, widower of Heike, which left most of the listeners deeply touched by the human impact of these destructive planning applications.
A Special mention should also go to Planning Committee members Turner and Jones who had actually taken the time to visit the proposed site. One returned with her shoes soaking wet, (so much for no drainage problems!) the other describing Milton Road as a “tasty road” – plain speaking at last.

The decision was deferred for the following main reasons:
- Giving KSCR time to finalise their traffic survey
- Providing more detail about the traffic calming measures
- Providing more detail about the drainage including surface water
- To review the mix of affordable housing and other properties on the site
- To ensure adequate school facilities were available locally, with safe walking to school

Below are few photos from the meeting; Oxford Mail has written an article you can read here.

Christian Bergesen

Supporting the KSCR Committee