Housing Development and the Green Belt in Old Marston
Latest News
Draft South-East Plan - proposes building 2360 homes a year in Oxfordshire for the
next twenty years. An independent report recommends 2730 per year but supports the
County Council’s call for sufficient infrastructure to support those new houses
in terms of schools, health services, road and rail improvements, water and sewage
treatment. For more information click on this link to the Plan on the County Council
website. You may want to visit the website of the South-East Regional Assembly.
Marston Conservation Area - see report and map
• New Development at Grenoble Road, near Blackbird Leys - possible future implications
for Marston? Oxford Times Article
The Oxford Times of 17th August 2007 reported that the Social Market Foundation,
a think tank that is used by the government, has published a report stating that
the Green Belt, including Oxford’s, needs to be built upon to meet the demand for
housing. At the moment the Prime Minister and Leader of the County Council have stated
that they are opposed to this. I’ll bring you more information when I get it.
There have been various reports and articles about the proposals to built a large
number of houses in Old Marston and on the Green Belt, not to mention other parts
of Oxford and Oxfordshire that are threatened with large-scale development.
The Parish Council are aware of the above proposals and are in touch with Oxford
City Council and with the relevant authorities involved in the proposal. We will
be closely monitoring the situation and will keep you informed.
On this page I will be bringing the latest information and links to the various organisations
involved with the various developments. If you have any concerns or questions, please
feel free to e-mail me, Duncan Hatfield or Charlie Haynes the Parish Council Chairman.
Also listed below are links to further information and contact details of other individuals
and organisations that will be able to help address any concerns.
• More in-depth information about the proposed development go to our sites for development
page
• You can also view Maps of the Proposed Development
• Letters of concern should be written to Laura Goddard, Principle Planning Officer
at Oxford City Council
Groups Concerned with the Green Belt
For more information about the different organisations please go to our organisations
page or select on of the links below:
• S.E.E.D.A.: The South East Development Agency
• The Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment
• The Oxfordshire Rural Community Council
• The Oxford Preservation Trust
• The Oxford Greenbelt Network
• The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
Oxford Green Belt Network Newsletters
(Letters are in Word Format - click to download file)
Articles and Reports
• The proposed London Road Development in Headington and its potential an impact
on Marston.
• Oxford Mail Article
• Oxford City Council Core Strategy which outlines their development plans
• Proposed development around Kidlington and Water Eaton
• New Threat to City Green Belt Article from 9th November 2006
- This article shows that the leader of the City Council John Goddard favours
a review of the Greenbelt
• New Development at Grenoble Road, near Blackbird Leys - possible future implications
for Marston? Oxford Times Article
• The Proposed development near Blackbird Leys favoured by Andrew Smith MP and John
Goddard, Leader of City Council
• No Surprises from Inspectors - part of Didcot development to go to Oxford Greenbelt
(30 August 2007)
• Inspectors back homes in Green Belt (30 August 2007)
• Greenbelt Development Unjustified - letter from S.PA.D.E. 24 August 2007
• Green Belt set to be Redrawn (24 August 2007)
Other Links
• The History of the Green Belt and Acts of Parliament Relating to it
Sites in Old Marston Suggested to Oxford City Council for housing Development in the next 20 years
You may have seen or heard in the local media about the draft core strategy regarding the policy for development of Oxford for the next 20 years.
Details have been set out in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) of land that could be used for housing and included in the Site Allocation Development Plan (SADPD) This will start its work in September 2008.
These are the sites, which are of concern to Old Marston they total 25 hectares and proposed for development of 1050 houses.
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1
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Mill Lane. land adjacent to the Queen Victoria Arms 600 homes
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2
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Marsh Lane. 150 dwellings. Known as the “Fair Field” which also includes the field which the Marston Saints Football Club have just leased from the City Council on a 25 year lease.
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3
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Court Place Farm. 300 dwellings. This is the allotments in Oxford Road and join up with the above area.
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· Harlow Centre, Raymund Road, previously Marston Middle School, number of houses not known.
The Site Allocations Development Plan Document will need to be agreed by Council Members and after that local people will be consulted.
The above details have appeared between Parish Council meetings and was discussed further at the June meeting ( after the Bulletin goes to press). The Parish Council Chairman has already attended a meeting with CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) and received information from an Principle Planning Officer for Oxford City Council.
If the City Council should at any time in the future decide to develop any of their land as indicated in the proposal, rest assured the Parish Council will make representation to stop any of the developments taking place.
Also you can see information about the proposed development in Headington and its impact on Marston.
The County Council is not in favour of unrestricted development on green belt land.
Organisations Concerned with Oxford’s Green Belt
More in-depth information about the proposed development
Letters of concern should be written to Laura Goddard, Principle Planning Officer at Oxford City Council
The South East Development Agency is the Regional Development Agency for the South East, and is responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of the South East of England - the driving force of the UK's economy. It also has an influence on housing development.
London Road
The London Road Development in Headington will have an impact on the transport infrastructure in Marston.
Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment
The Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment an independent non-profit making company providing funds for environmental and community projects across Oxfordshire, under the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF).
Oxfordshire Rural Community Council
The Preservation Trust
The Oxford Preservation Trust is committed to ensuring a positive future for Oxford, preserving and enhancing the City's historic character and green setting, whilst recognising the needs of the 21st century city. Founded in 1926, the Trust was one of the first local amenity societies in England, and is now Oxford's largest, with over 1000 members.
The Trust owns over 600 acres of land in and around the City, including a large part of the greenbelt land around Old Marston. It encourages an active interest in it, manages it an environmentally sensitive way and gives public access wherever possible.
Oxford Green Belt Network
The Oxford Greenbelt Network is an organisation that seeks to protect the Greenbelt around Oxford, bringing together local groups, in particular Parish Councils, sharing information and speaking to relevant agencies that are involved with the Greenbelt. OGBN is the only organization concerned solely with protection of, and promotion of the benefits of, the Oxford Green Belt. It’s name derives from the fact that it is a network of parishes, exchanging information about the Green Belt, and taking action where appropriate to defend and to enhance it. See also the article about the The Oxford Greenbelt Network written by the Chairman Dr Ian Scargill.
Campaign to Protect Rural England
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) campaigns for a sustainable future for the English countryside, a vital but undervalued environmental, economic and social asset to the nation. It highlights threats and promote positive solutions. It was thanks Andy Boddington, their local campaign manager, who brought to our attention the proposed development by contacting me via this website. For a map of the proposed development go to: Maps of Proposed Development
Oxford City Council Core Strategy
Old Marston Parish Council is not responsible for the content of external websites
