Marriotts: Full steam ahead! (From Witney Gazette)

Marriotts: Full steam ahead!

2:06pm Tuesday 30th January 2007 in Witney By Rosalind Miles

THERE will be no inquiry into the plan to build a shopping and entertainment complex in the heart of Witney.

The Government has decided not to 'call in' the proposed Marriotts Close development - and work on the project is now expected to start later this year.

The scheme to build shops, restaurants, cinema, housing, and a multi-storey car park on the site of the former Witney Town Football Club ground has been dogged by controversy.

But campaigners against the project now admit they have 'exhausted every option' in their attempt to prevent it from being built.

Marriotts Close was approved by West Oxfordshire District Council in December, but campaigners wrote to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) to ask for the application to be examined.

The group was concerned at the way social housing had been allotted - as only 15 affordable homes will be built out of the 188 that will go in the development.

But to make up for it the district council will spend £572,000 it has received from the developer on affordable housing elsewhere in West Oxfordshire.

Glenn Phillips, of campaign group Action to Improve Marriotts Close, who wrote the letter, said: "We have to accept we have exhausted every option.

"The district council did not agree with us, the town council would not support us, and GOSE have declined our request.

"In the letter, I got back they said there was not significant enough national interest at stake. Perhaps that means that tiny little Marriotts Close is just not important enough for them to deal with."

Brian Matthews, of AIM, said: "It was a long shot. I know that for it to be called in there has to have been some very serious maladministration.

"AIM wrote a letter asking for them to call it in on the grounds of the affordable housing. We were concerned about the green space, but obviously that is not a matter for a Government inspector.

"We weren't particularly happy about the affordable housing, and thought the Government inspector would have grounds to look into that. He hasn't found any reason to do so, and we are accepting that this is the situation. We are a little disappointed."

Barry Norton, leader of the district council, said: "It is common on big applications that they want to have a look at it. They looked and now have given us the go-ahead.

"It's an endorsement of the scheme. They may have looked at affordable housing - but they have seen that every penny left over of capital terms is being put into affordable housing.

"That is acceptable because we can demonstrate the benefits to the town. We have paid more in public subsidy on this than every other site because we want to provide excellent facilities.

"We have put our money where our mouth is and we have paid for the cinema building and the multi-storey car park.

"It will prevent people from travelling a lot further afield like to the Kassam, in Oxford, or to Swindon - so in terms of sustainability it will be very good news for the green agenda.

"It will provide absolutely fantastic facilities to suit every age range. There will be a good range of shops, including big multiples, three restaurants, a five-screen cinema and free parking.

"Judge us when it's completed. On balance, when it's finished it will be a very, very great addition to the facilities of a market town like Witney."

Simons Developments expects to start building later this year and hopes it will be finished by Christmas 2008.

Jeremy Fieldsend, from the company, said: "The planning process shows the local authority has done its job properly and we are, of course, absolutely delighted.

"It sends a positive and very important message to the market place, and a lot more retailers will be interested.

"Witney is indeed open for business."