"Yvette Cooper when Housing Minister decided to have a competition to see whether developers and others could come forward with suggestions for new eco-town projects which would be new sustainable developments of low-carbon housing.
Quite a number of projects were put forward, many re-heated development schemes.
However, in this area an American company – somewhat out of the blue – came forward with a master plan for a new substantial “eco-town” on what was in shorthand described as Western/Otmoor.
There was considerable opposition to this project locally, largely because it would have almost all entirely been on green land and a substantial amount on green belt land but also opposition because it was felt that such a new satellite settlement, if it had gone ahead, would have simply undermined the viability of Bicester and done nothing to enhance Bicester’s coherent development.
As a consequence, Cherwell District Council with all Party support put forward a counter proposal to the Department of Communities and Local Government for an eco-town settlement on the north west quartile of the town.In due course, Margaret Beckett and the last Labour Government accepted this counter proposal.
Interestingly I think of all of the original eco-town suggestions, only four were deemed viable and I think of those four, probably only two are now going ahead in earnest, of which Bicester is one
- the other being in Cornwall."
What does he mean by this we wonder? In a letter to a constituent dated 16th May our own MP, Keith Simpson, has re-stated his position regarding the proposed Rackheath eco-town:
No wonder then that Mr Baldry seems as confused as the rest of us about what is (or isn't) going on.
Maybe SNUB should make contact with Mr Baldry and ask him what he has heard in the corridors of power?
ReplyDeleteAnother anonymous says maybe Mr.Baldry is looking to SNUB for an answer as they appear to be more enlightened than the corridors of power.
ReplyDeleteSNUB thought they could 'disperse' the numbers across the region. They did not appear to know that everywhere else has completed their JCS and that is not an option. That is not the only area where they are misguided. Don't believe all that SNUB tell you or else you might be very dissappointed, even after a lot of monety has gone down the drain of the solicitors and barristers pockets. Then when the Council tax goes up to pay for the Councils' legal costs..............................
ReplyDelete