Questions raised over district planners’ weighting of Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan

THAME Town Council is not happy that planning officers at South Oxfordshire District Council, are not, in all cases, giving enough weight to Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan when recommending decisions on planning applications affecting the town.

Town Councillors mentioned as an example a recent application to demolish Windrush, a cottage in Bridge Terrace, in Thame, and build three dwellings on the site, which the town council recommended should be refused. Planning Officers at SODC recommended approving the plans, contrary to Thame’s view, though in this instance, District Councillors on the Planning Committee went against their officer’s recommendation and agreed with Thame Town Council.

Cllr David Bretherton, a former District Councillor, told Thame’s Planning Committee meeting last night (Tuesday, April 5), that it was his impression that SODC Planners tended to concentrate on their ‘Local Plan’ while Thame Town Council concentrated on policies in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan.

Referring to several planning applications where a decision contrary to Thame Town Council’s recommendation had been made by SODC’s Planning Committee, the town council has decided to analyse all planning decisions over the past year, and garner ‘facts and figures’ in order to decide whether or not to take the matter further with the District Council.