07/02/11….Countryside group celebrates 80 years of campaigning

THIS year, 2011 is an important year for CPRE Oxfordshire, since it is the countryside campaigning group’s 80th anniversary (1931-2011). As well as planning several celebratory events throughout the year, CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) Oxfordshire has relaunched its wwwcpreoxon.org.uk

LATEST CAMPAIGN BRIEFING (Contributed)

“Oxford City Council?s Core Strategy was finally approved late in 2010 (the Planning Inspector’s final report was released on 21 December). CPRE has expressed its disappointment that the Northern Gateway has been given the go-ahead.

“CPRE has submitted its response to the County Council?s planning application for an extension of the Thornhill Park and Ride, expressing concern that expansion at Thornhill risks ?urbanising? this part of the Green Belt.

“CPRE has confirmed its support for the local campaign against the giant wind turbine proposed for Horspath, alongside South Oxfordshie DC and John Howell, MP.

“CPRE is disappointed at the Inspector’s decision to approve Viridor’s application for an incinerator at Ardley. County Councillors had originally refused plans for waste firm Viridor to run a plant at Ardley in north Oxfordshire, but the company appealed in January 2010, prompting a public inquiry last summer.

“The Government is pushing ahead with first part of the route for HS2 from London to Birmingham and a major consultation is expected in February. The planned route of the high-speed rail line from London to Birmingham has been altered after protests about its impact on the countryside, but the plans still raise many major environmental issues. The route through Oxfordshire has been moved further east of Mixbury, thereby reducing its local impact somewhat.”

For more information about these and other issues see: CPRE Oxfordshire website