Marriotts' 'last-ditch chance' (From Witney Gazette)

Marriotts' 'last-ditch chance'

2:24pm Tuesday 21st March 2006 in Witney By Andrew Alexander

PEOPLE will be given a last-ditch chance to speak out at a special meeting on the controversial Marriotts Close development.

Witney Town Council has decided it needs to hold an extra meeting at its larger venue of the Corn Exchange, so that residents will be able to give their views about the development.

The town council can only make a submission to West Oxfordshire District Council's decision-makers.

The planning meeting of West Oxfordshire District Council, which will decide the matter, will not be open to public contributions.

The development, a mixture of shops, restaurants, houses, a multi-storey car park, and multi-screen cinema on land occupied by the Welch Way car park and the former Witney Town football ground has met strong opposition from local campaigners.

The group Action to Improve Marriotts (AIM) has collected 4,000 signatures on a petition calling for one acre of open space to be included on the site, which it said was at risk of becoming a 'concrete jungle'.

"We've decided to have a special planning meeting committee just for that one application, so that the public can have their say."

Town mayor Steve Holborough,

The Marriotts development was one of the main issues discussed last Wednesday at Witney's annual town meeting, an annual forum for residents to raise any concerns with Witney Town Council.

In response, the council has decided to move the planning committee to the Corn Exchange, to give people the chance to air their views.

Town mayor, Steve Holborough, said: "We've made it clear that the town council will only be consulted on the application.

"But we've decided to have a special planning meeting committee just for that one application, so that the public can have their say.

He added: "It won't be a matter for debate, but they can all voice their opinions for the committee to take on board before it makes its response to the district council."

The date of the meeting will be announced when the planning application has been lodged.

West Oxfordshire District Council, which owns the land, held a series of public consultations, including a poll and public meetings, before choosing the plan put forward by Lincoln-based Simons Development last year.

The council's Marriotts Close working party has been meeting regularly to finalise the detail of the plans, but the working party meetings have been held behind closed doors on grounds of commercial confidentiality.

People will be given another chance to comment on the development when the planning application has been made, by writing to the district council.

Geoffrey Nutt, a member of AIM, said: "This is too little, too late. We were asked to comment 12 months ago during the public consultation, and the town council didn't voice any opinion then.

"Instead for 12 months, now West Oxfordshire District Council and Simons have been driving ahead on the detail of a plan that's not wanted."