Residents voiced concerns over the new Thame Neighbourhood Plan at a Council meeting last week. Reservations were expressed over the lack of consultation with residents and the recommended sites for development. Residents also raised concerns over potential placement of industrial buildings close to homes and a lack of provision for new green public space.
Thame Town Council is now working on a 2nd Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP2), which will need to identify additional land for development. South Oxfordshire District Council’s Local Plan states 339 new homes need delivering in Thame, along with a minimum of 3.5 hectares of employment land as well as space for new retail uses.
Duncan Nickless from East Thame Residents Association reminded councillors that neighbourhood plans were introduced to give local communities a greater say in how their local communities develop but highlighted the unfortunate lack of public engagement and transparency for the new plan in contrast with the original Town Plan. He also expressed great concern from residents about recommendations to allocate business/industrial sites along Howland Road and directly opposite residential housing. This will negatively impact residents through additional noise and traffic and is completely unnecessary given land could be used further from residential areas.
Bob Denton also raised concerns about additional noise and disturbance new industrial building could have on residents. Bob described the noise and disturbance he and other residents already experience from the Windles site which runs a 24 hour operation leading some residents to complain to the company and district council.
Reg Koster from Thame Runners, reminded Councillors that the original Town Plan identified a deficiency of 15 hectares of public space across the town. This shortfall has not yet been addressed and means events such as a regular ‘Park Run’ can’t be hosted in the town as there isn’t a park large enough.
