At the most recent meeting of the Botley Traffic Advisory Committee (BTAC), discussion was around the basically unsatisfactory nature of the traffic in Botley. One instance after another came up for discussion and possible solutions.
At one point, Keith Stenning, the Oxfordshire County Council Area Steward for the Vale locality, said, “The biggest weapon for tackling traffic problems is a Neighbourhood Plan. I don’t know how far you’ve got along toward developing one?’ He looked around. Parish Clerk, Parish Council Chairman and Cllr Erc Batts (all of whom have been unsupportive of recent community efforts to start creating a Neighbourhood Plan) looked down and shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Keith continued, ‘Until you have a Neighbourhood Plan in place, you won’t be listened to.’
That was both good news and bad news. It’s good news that someone from outside the parish has said that it would be good for the parish. I’ve been encouraging the parish council to explore this for a long time. It’s bad news in that we don’t have a Neighbourhood Plan, but we DO have serious traffic problems, which are likely to increase as a result of current and upcoming planning applications that will bring more cars into Botley.
In the last two months, a working party was set up, a professional expert panel was assembled for a public meeting (which was very well-attended, by the way) with time for Questions and Answers. But the parish council hasn’t supported the work they did nor recognised that people want such a plan, nor that such a plan will be helpful.
A Neighbourhood Plan for North Hinksey, or for Botley (if we join hands with Cumnor Parish) would give local people a say in where local development takes place, and go along way to ensuring development is where we need it and of good benefit to the community.
Garden-grabbing specualtive planning applications to demolish one or two family homesand put up blocks of small flats must be controlled.
The Vale adminstration hasn’t been able to get any policies in place to help. The Localism Act gives parishes and towns some power, but they must exercise that power through consultation and a Neighbourhood Plan.
In case I’m not being clear, I support a Neighbourhood Plan for Botley, and the working group that has already been formed. I call on the Parish Council to authorise this important work, to give local people the control we need over development in our community, and to recognise the already established working group as having shown they can get the work done professionally and bring the community along with them. I applaud that and what to help however I can.
The parish council has Neighbourhood Planning on their agenda for Thursday the 19th meeting (at 8pm). You can attend and hear the debate, you can write to them via the clerk (nhpcclerk@msn.com). If you write, please copy the working group: botleyneighbourhoodplan@yahoo.co.uk so they’ll know your views.
More info onthe Government’s Neighbour Hood Planning scheme.
