OPTIONS FOR GROWTH CONSULTATION
Dear Sirs
OPTIONS FOR GROWTH CONSULTATION
Members of Adderbury Parish Council have considered the "Options for Growth" consultation and would comment as follows:
With regards to the categorisation of Adderbury as a Type 'A' village, whilst we feel that although we fulfil some of the criteria we do not fulfil all and do not, therefore, consider that we should be classed as 'Category A'. Other villages, for example, Deddington, Bloxham and Hook Norton are, in effect, small townships and have a wider range of well established services, whereas the character of Adderbury (notwithstanding its population size) is very much that of a village. Christopher Rawlins School is very near capacity and there is insufficient room for building expansion.
It is suggested that Adderbury and other 'Category A' villages should absorb very significant numbers of new housing, up to 1235 in total. Large developments would not be acceptable on the edge of the village. The setting of this historic and architecturally interesting village, which has a significant number of listed buildings, would be diminished and devalued.
In 2003, the Adderbury Village Assessment survey was carried out which achieved around 80% participation and, we feel, accurately represents the views of villagers. This survey indicated that villagers were keen to resist further development outside the existing village envelope. However, we would not wish to see any further erosion of the green areas remaining within the village. We feel it would be wrong to disregard the excellent and representative results of the AVA.
Adderbury is opposed to the suggested allocation of 1235 homes in just six 'Category A' villages. This is about half of the number that are proposed for the Banbury allocation and would be unacceptable in rural areas, particularly if they are limited to just six 'Category A' villages. We feel that some housing should go in the Category B villages to offset this.
If this allocation does go into the 'Category A' villages, it should be shared around so that all villages have an equal amount. Adderbury has already had over 100 houses since 2006 with the Charles Church and Banner Homes developments. Previously, there was the Griffin Close development and also the 55 homes currently being built at the Cheshire Homes site. Therefore, Adderbury would only be willing to take a further 50 homes. It is our understanding that some 'Category A' villages have not taken any additional housing during the last few years as part of the rural allocation.
We are concerned that of these six 'Category A' villages, the 1235 proposed new homes would not be equally shared out. For example, Bodicote would not have any in the rural allocation because of the potential extensions to Banbury and other villages such as Cropredy may not have such a large allocation as Adderbury. Such a situation, we consider would be both unfair and unacceptable. Also, should this happen, the allocations to the remaining 'Category A' villages (like Adderbury) would be over large and have a very detrimental effect on the nature of these villages, as suggested in CDC’s own document in Table 3, Page 18.
In earlier consultations on the Local Development Framework process, Adderbury Parish Council made very carefully considered comments as to which areas in Adderbury we would find more acceptable for development. Any allocation to the village should be along the lines of Adderbury’s original comments on the Local Development Framework proposals and include detailed consultation with Adderbury Parish Council. We have been at various meetings as part of this current consultation and we have been assured that this is the case and we would like written assurance that this will actually happen.
Adderbury Parish Council does not support the idea of 'cluster' villages. Although we recognise the fact that some residents do use some facilities in both villages, there are also many who use facilities elsewhere. Therefore, we do not feel the cluster idea has any value in this process.
Finally, we wish to reiterate that we do not feel it would be acceptable for Adderbury village to be asked to take a disproportionate number of proposed homes when other villages in the same category are allocated less or none at all.
We hope that you will find our comments helpful and that Cherwell District Council will consider carefully our concerns.
Yours faithfully
Pam Haynes
Clerk to Adderbury Parish Council