County to decide on Gravel Pits at Cholsey & Clifton Hampden
24th November 2017
Update: Clifton Hampden rejected, but Cholsey approved
UPDATE: We are pleased to report that Oxfordshire County Council’s Planning Committee voted to reject the gravel pit application at Clifton Hampden, on the grounds of inappropriate development in the Green Belt, transport implications, and pre-judging proposals in both the adopted Vale of White Horse District Local Plan Part 1 and the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan proposals for a new River Thames crossing.
Unfortunately the Cholsey application was passed, with the Chair’s casting vote in favour.
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On Monday afternoon (27th November) Oxfordshire County Council Planning Committee will consider two applications for new gravel pits at Cholsey and Clifton Hampden.
CPRE Oxfordshire is urging the rejection of these applications.
The applications are at best premature and at worst unnecessary. The County Council’s Mineral Strategy is still under development and there is no agreed need for more mineral production in the area. These applications are a blatant attempt to pre-empt this Strategy.
The proposed sites are on prime open farmland and adjacent to the local settlements of Cholsey, Wallingford and Clifton Hampden. They would therefore both damage our countryside and local communities. In Clifton Hampden’s case, the site would be entirely inappropriate development within the Green Belt and also jeopardise land safe-guarded for a potential river crossing.
Both applications are opposed by the District Council. We strongly urge the County to reject these applications and move forward in a democratic manner for a correctly assessed and agreed minerals policy for the County.
For further info:
Communities against Gravel Extraction – www.cagegravel.org.uk
Burcot & Clifton Hampden for the Protection of the River Thames – www.bachport.uk
CPRE Oxfordshire, November 2017