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Concern voiced at park plan
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| Concern: Villager Billie Dowse |
Families in a tiny south Oxfordshire village fear plans for a 1,500-acre country park will turn the landmark Wittenham Clumps into a theme park.
People living in Little Wittenham near Didcot say the proposals - published in a report by South Oxfordshire District Council last month - would urbanise the ancient landscape, threatening the character of the famous Clumps.
The council said the plans would help meet a growing shortfall in green spaces in Didcot and proposed linking the town to the Clumps by a network of paths or greenways.
Andrew Lea, chairman and clerk to the parish meeting, said: "Fundamentally we don't think the Clumps should become a country park.
"We think a country park is more appropriate closer to Didcot and it should not be as far out as the Clumps. It will mean car parks, cafés, toilets and other recreational facilities.
"Traffic is also another concern for us because it's particularly bad as it is and a country park would attract a great deal more cars. We think the Clumps should not be turned into an urban park."
| 'I fear we are going to finish up with a commercial theme park' | | Villager Billie Dowse |
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Villager Billie Dowse, 70, said: "I fear we are going to finish up with a commercial theme park. There's too much emphasis on bringing in the public and they don't seem to see the implications of it."
Mark Nicholls, 58, said: "The country park idea is in effect sub-urbanisation of the countryside."
Sir Martin Wood, 80, a patron of the Northmoor Trust, was fully in favour of making more green spaces available to people in towns.
But he said: "I think the park goes much further away from Didcot than I think is reasonable."
Northmoor Trust spokesman Ben Earl said: "The trust is also concerned that any plans are sensitive to the existing pressures and relevant stakeholders are consulted before any such plans are finalised. We have stressed the trust's estate will not be included within the boundaries of any new country park."
Dominic Lamb, the council's countryside officer, said the majority of the comments received from the consultation had been supportive of the park.
He said the council would amend the report to reflect some of the concerns raised.
1:49pm Sunday 23rd March 2008
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CommentPosted by: julia, oxford on 5:50pm Sun 23 Mar 08
Some people are working hard at being outraged. Move them to Lambeth, the whinging middle class gits.
Some people are working hard at being outraged. Move them to Lambeth, the whinging middle class gits.
Posted by: daz, oxford on 7:05pm Sun 23 Mar 08
Julia, I see you're not in Lambeth either whose the g**
Julia, I see you're not in Lambeth either whose the g**
Posted by: Dave on 7:59pm Sun 23 Mar 08
If they didn't build all the houses we'd have plenty of green spaces....just another commercial covering up.
If they didn't build all the houses we'd have plenty of green spaces....just another commercial covering up.
Posted by: Ed, Oxford on 8:54pm Sun 23 Mar 08
This is a SODC idea, and it's a smokescreen if ever there was one. There is already a lot of traffic in Little Wittenham, so much that cars are parked on the road for a long way. If SODC really want this park, they need to provide the infrastructure which hasn't been thought of. If they do, it will cost SODC residents more in council tax.
Before any of this happens, we need another bridge over the Thames to relieve Long Wittenham, Clifton Hampden, Appleford, Sutton Courtenay and Culham of the traffic which is now at unbelievable levels. If Clifton and Culham bridge were to be out of action, the whole of South Oxfordshire would grind to a halt....
This is a SODC idea, and it's a smokescreen if ever there was one. There is already a lot of traffic in Little Wittenham, so much that cars are parked on the road for a long way. If SODC really want this park, they need to provide the infrastructure which hasn't been thought of. If they do, it will cost SODC residents more in council tax.
Before any of this happens, we need another bridge over the Thames to relieve Long Wittenham, Clifton Hampden, Appleford, Sutton Courtenay and Culham of the traffic which is now at unbelievable levels. If Clifton and Culham bridge were to be out of action, the whole of South Oxfordshire would grind to a halt....
Posted by: Alwyn, Didcot on 12:56am Mon 24 Mar 08
The pronlem is of their own making. These are the same people who forced the development of the town to go to the west. Now they moan at having green space around them! Infrastructure improvements are needed amyway and urgently before the whole area grinds to a halt!
The pronlem is of their own making. These are the same people who forced the development of the town to go to the west. Now they moan at having green space around them! Infrastructure improvements are needed amyway and urgently before the whole area grinds to a halt!
Posted by: chris, didcot on 9:38pm Sun 6 Apr 08
According to their website,
The Reserve has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and selected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats and Species Directive (HSD), has one of the largest breeding population of Great Crested Newts in Britain, as well as many other breeding amphibians and dragonflies.
How exactly are they protecting it once it's open to the public?
According to their website,
The Reserve has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and selected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats and Species Directive (HSD), has one of the largest breeding population of Great Crested Newts in Britain, as well as many other breeding amphibians and dragonflies.
How exactly are they protecting it once it's open to the public?
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