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Development gets go-ahead
A MAJOR housing development - which will boost Didcot's population by a third - has been approved by planners.
South Oxfordshire District Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council gave the seal of approval to the 3,300-home Great Western Park development on the western edge of the town.
And a £65m package of facilities for the growing population has been secured in a deal with housebuilders Taylor Wimpey. Bulldozers are expected move on to the site, which lies in both districts, next year.
The company is one of a number of major building firms affected by the current financial situation, but a spokesman said it was committed to the development.
He said: "We need further approval on certain matters, but we expect construction to commence in 2009."
The 180-hectare site will stretch from the A4130 in the north of Didcot to the Wantage Road and south to Park Road.
Developers aim to build 50 homes in 2009, 250 in 2010 and 400 the following year. The whole site is expected to take ten years to complete. Alongside the houses - 1,000 of which will be "affordable homes" - two new primary schools, a secondary school, open spaces, shops, services, play areas, two community centres and a health centre will be built on the site.
A road linking the A4130 through the development to the Wantage Road at a new junction will be constructed too.
Taylor Wimpey will also improve roads around the town, including Rowstock and Power Station roundabouts, off-road cycleways and a link to Cow Lane bridleway in the west.
Didcot Town Council leader John Flood said: "It's excellent news for Didcot. It means Didcot stage two will go ahead with more certainty."
However, residents living near the development site were less pleased with the news. Ken Mills, 65, of Slade Road, said: "It's disgraceful, it's annoying no councils ever listen to ordinary people. I worry about the new people coming and what are they planning to do with all the extra cars to come along the Didcot to Harwell Road, which is terrible now."
Don Robertson, 76, also of Slade Road, said: "I don't think much of it, but what will be will be. We've been against it from the start."
South Oxfordshire district councillor Angie Paterson, cabinet member for planning, said: "It's great news the Great Western Park development now has its official stamp of approval."
Taylor Wimpey will submit final plans, illustrating the final details of the site and houses to the councils for approval later this year.
Before any houses are built, roads, drainage infrastructure and landscaping must be completed. Work on houses south of the Wantage Road will not start until the northern phase is completed.
Vale district councillor, Mary de Vere, executive member for planning and community strategy, added: "It has taken a long time to negotiate a comprehensive package of infrastructure provision, financial contributions and affordable housing, but the end result is a development which will benefit existing and new residents in the area."
3:00pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008
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CommentPosted by: Alwyn, Didcot on 5:40pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Good to see we are to have an improved infrastructure. I must confess I find it hard to believe that the capacity of the roads and railways can be increased so much in ten years. And where is the new sewage works? And water source?
Good to see we are to have an improved infrastructure. I must confess I find it hard to believe that the capacity of the roads and railways can be increased so much in ten years. And where is the new sewage works? And water source?
Posted by: Annoyed, Hanney on 11:39am Fri 25 Jul 08
[italic]italic[/italic] [bold]bold[/bold] [bold]bold[/bold] Don’t worry about the water source; plans for a huge reservoir destroying more green areas will be helped by this decision. I wonder if councils listen to any of us!
Don’t worry about the water source; plans for a huge reservoir destroying more green areas will be helped by this decision. I wonder if councils listen to any of us!
Posted by: AlanW, Didcot on 12:35pm Fri 25 Jul 08
John Flood you are a disgrace. You do not speak for the people of Didcot, you never have and you never will. You do not listen, you treat the Didcot community with contempt in my book. The development should have been North and you and every other ****er knows that, they even have the exits on the Roundabouts. With Didcot South now flooding in the Winter, i guess that is next. Lets all flood the Hagbournes, Didcot Town Council, what a bunch of ****s.
John Flood you are a disgrace. You do not speak for the people of Didcot, you never have and you never will. You do not listen, you treat the Didcot community with contempt in my book. The development should have been North and you and every other ****er knows that, they even have the exits on the Roundabouts. With Didcot South now flooding in the Winter, i guess that is next. Lets all flood the Hagbournes, Didcot Town Council, what a bunch of ****s.
Posted by: Alwyn, Didcot on 5:57pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Yes, Annoyed, the decision will strengthen the case for the reservoir BUT the timescale is wrong. Around twenty years for the reservoir, ten for the development. And where is the sewage to go?
Yes, Annoyed, the decision will strengthen the case for the reservoir BUT the timescale is wrong. Around twenty years for the reservoir, ten for the development. And where is the sewage to go?
Posted by: John on 7:28am Sat 26 Jul 08
Once again the moaners are unhappy that other people are able to live somewhere. All NIMBY's are sitting comfortably in their own homes whilst we others who aren't even on the ladder struggle to raise a deposit and pay high rents in the area. I salute the council for making a third of the homes 'affordable'. I just hope people accept the decision and reaise that there are many local residents who need a home to call their own.
Once again the moaners are unhappy that other people are able to live somewhere. All NIMBY's are sitting comfortably in their own homes whilst we others who aren't even on the ladder struggle to raise a deposit and pay high rents in the area. I salute the council for making a third of the homes 'affordable'. I just hope people accept the decision and reaise that there are many local residents who need a home to call their own.
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