Horror at Housing Plan (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Horror at Housing Plan

December 6, 2005 5:23 PM

The Liberal Democrat County Councillors for Wantage and Grove, Cllrs Jim Moley and Zoe Patrick, expressed their dismay at the County's ideas for housing in central Oxfordshire today.

Today's County Cabinet was asked to respond to the South East Region's plans for the distribution of housing up to 2026. The County Council's advice will now be incorporated into the South East Plan that SEERA will agree in February and submit to the Government in March 2006.

Contrary to the advice that Council gave the Cabinet in November, the Cabinet has now decided that 1,400 houses should be built at Grove/Wantage (plus 2,000 in Bicester, 3,000 in Didcot and small amounts elsewhere).

Zoe said, "This is appalling. The infrastructure around Grove and Wantage cannot cope with this number of houses. Unlike Bicester and Didcot, which are well-served by rail and buses, Grove/Wantage has no railway station - and is not likely to have one for the foreseeable future, under current Government policies. And our bus service is not good, either."

Jim said, "The Conservatives in the Vale area go around telling local people how opposed they are to housing at Grove - it is always the fault of someone else in their eyes. Well, now we see the real truth - it is the Conservative administration at County Hall that will be imposing this housing on Grove and Wantage."

Liberal Democrats opposed the Grove/Wantage option at the County Council meeting on 1st November.