Views sought on key town plan (From Witney Gazette)

Views sought on key town plan

9:00am Wednesday 19th July 2006 in Witney By Samantha Simpson

WITNEY Town Council is organising a meeting for residents to put across their views of the Marriotts Close development before it responds to the planning application.

The town council's planning committee will sit at the Corn Exchange, in Market Square, Witney, from 7pm on Tuesday, August 1, and wants members of the public to voice their opinions.

Although the town council does not have any decision making powers, it is asked to give feedback on planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council, which decides whether or not to give approval.

The Marriotts application was submitted to the district council at the end of June by Lincoln-based Simons Developments. As reported by the Gazette, the vision for the former Witney Town FC grounds and Welch Way car park include 13 new shops, five-screen cinema, 185 new homes, ten-level multi-storey car park, two restaurants, coffee shop and public open space. The town council said it would take on board all observations made by residents, but would not enter into discussions about the plans, other than to try to clarify queries.

More than 600 people attended a public exhibition organised by Simons Developments in Witney almost two weeks ago. There was a mixed reaction from residents who attended the exhibition.

Anne Crawford, from Witney, was concerned about the impact on shops in Witney's High Street and also about the scale of the buildings.

She said: "It worries me about what will happen to the other shops in the town. They say it'll bring in more people to the town as a whole, but I'm not so sure.

"I also think the plans for three and four-storey buildings are out of character for Witney."

John Tiptaft, from Witney, said he supported the development in principle as it would help Witney's future, but raised concerns about the loss of burgage plots to the north-west of the site. As the plans stand, the historic burgages will be bulldozed to make way for the cinema and a restaurant. Mr Tiptaft suggested that the cinema be moved to the north-west of the site where a public open space and play area is planned instead.

He said: "I really hope these burgages can be saved, they make the land very special indeed and it would be a shame to see them go."

He also raised concerns about the car park, saying: "It looks to me very much more suitable for the city, rather than a rural town."

Comment forms issued by Simons Developments are available at the Gazette office, in Market Square, Witney, or the town's library, in Welch Way. Full details of the planning application can be viewed at www.westoxon.gov.uk, or the council's offices.