Store decision is delayed (From Witney Gazette)

What is it with these planners? Do you really have to wait until someone protests? Bunch of dullards. It seems to me that planning process needs an overhaul. Surely such important items like lorry deliveries and car parking need dealing with clearly in the planning app, if not before.

No wonder GB doesn't get a medal in the economic development race.

So they didn't want a supermarket on the outskirts of Carterton, where Lorry routing and car parking would not be a problem, because the council said they would rather see development in the town centre. Now it seems they don't want development in the town centre because it will cause extra traffic. Can someone please tell us what they do want!!

sainsburys on the outskirts of town should have been given permission, it is the ideal place for a supermarket, but then again WODC knows best!

picto68 wrote:
So they didn't want a supermarket on the outskirts of Carterton, where Lorry routing and car parking would not be a problem, because the council said they would rather see development in the town centre. Now it seems they don't want development in the town centre because it will cause extra traffic. Can someone please tell us what they do want!!

The problem is that it is a different "THEY" each time.
One set of people want the store in the middle close to the shops but don't appear to see a problem with traffic then others want it on the outskirts where cars will be needed to go shopping.
Glad I'm not a Planner, see what happened with the Cogges Link Road, a most vociferous "THEY" caused the whole scheme to be cancelled.

I don't think it's a fair comparison supermarkets and link roads. Issues regards roads in my humble opinion are much more complex.

I can remember attending the Full Planning Committe meeting and listen to the pros and cons for the out of town store. The cons was about 20 pages of stuff and the pros was one. One Councilor at the meeting even stated that he prefered a Morrison rather than Sainsburys. The Chairman had to remind him that personnel view was not to be expressed, but he still was allowed to vote. The reasons for the refusal was, wait for it, Noise from the loading/unloading dock area would upset the Hotel come public house. The design would be an eye sore. They took great care in showing the view from Carterton road, Bovington road on to the site saying that the trees did not shield the devlopment. Given time a year or two the trees and bushes would hide the building, or break it up. But no, the planners wanted a town store developement, only to now show that because they will not get a slice of the pie, they are rejecting the proposal. We have empty retail units (West Oxon Retail Park) since it was built in 2007/8. Lets ask the Local Council what development would they like on all the waste ground on the approaches to the main gate of RAF Brize Norton.
If Sainsburys had gone ahead we would have by now have an small Hotel, another public house and supermarket, plus the empty retail units may have other big name retailers.