New ‘Elms’ plan will over stretch services, say petitioners

A new planning application for an Extra Care housing development, on land at The Elms, Upper High Street, Thame, submitted by Rectory Homes, is currently open for Consultation until August 31.

The application is for apartments, houses and a communal residents’ centre with basement parking and storage areas and creation of new public open space, provision of new vehicle access from Elms Road and a new pedestrian/cycle link onto Upper High Street with associated infrastructure works and landscaping.

A previous application by Rectory Homes for 37 dwellings on land at The Elms, was awarded Planning Permission over a year ago, but no work was ever started.

An organisation that lobbied against the original application, the Elms Petition Group, has stated in its recent news letter: “This volume of housing clearly exceeds the allocation of ‘up to 45 houses’ which is detailed in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. This volume of housing of this type will also heavily increase the pressure on local support services such as doctors and ambulance first responders. Anyone that currently lives in Southern Thame will testify that ambulances and fire services (first responders) are already an all too regular sight at the existing care homes in the area.

You can read the full application on South Oxfordshire District Council’s website HERE