Planning officer to recommend go-ahead for new homes

A controversial planning application to build 37 new homes on land at The Elms, Upper High Street, Thame, will be considered by South Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee on April 22, when Planning Officers are expected to recommend that the committee approves the application.

Meadow land at ‘The Elms’ where 37 new homes are being proposed

After acknowledging the large number of objections lodged against the plan, including objections from English Heritage and the Conservation Officer, the Planning Officer, Emily Hamerton, concludes:

” However the site is allocated within the TNP for up to 45 dwellings. The site is in a sustainable location within the town centre and proposes a high quality contemporary design. In addition this development will deliver 40% affordable housing, improvements to the park and will mitigate any impact through the S106 contributions. Therefore balancing all these issues, I am recommending that planning permission is approved.”

If SODC follows the advice of its officers and gives the plan the go-ahead, such a decision will fly in the face of the recommendation made by Thame Town Council, to refuse the application (See LINK for report and the reasons for Thame Town Council’s recommendation to refuse the application) and would be against the views of a petition group of several hundred signatures, and many other objections lodged against the plan.

Cllr Mary Stiles will be speaking at the meeting on behalf of Thame Town Council and there are expected to be several more representations made against the plan, as well as representations for the applicant, Simon Vickers, who owns the land at The Elms.

The meeting will start at 6pm in Wallingford Town Hall, Market Place, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 0EG. The full agenda and all related papers can be found HERE

A copy of the officer’s report can be read on SODC’s website SEE LINK

Anyone wishing to speak at this meeting must apply by 12 noon on April 21, by emailing: planning@southoxon.gov.uk

Full details of this application can be found on SODC’s website HERE