Neighbourhood Plan

Securing the future of our villages, amenities, and the health and wellbeing of the community

ANOTHER CHANCE TO

HAVE YOUR SAY

In December 2020, I wrote to you thank you for your responses to the Initial Parish Consultation on the Burcot and Clifton Hampden Neighbourhood Plan and development proposals.  At the Parish Council meeting on 25 January 2021, the Parish Council agreed to pause the process pending consideration of a petition, concerns raised by a group of residents, and requests for information.  We are now restarting the process by re-opening the consultation for a further four weeks from 1-28 March 2021.  

This is the next step in a long iterative process of dialogue, consultation and development leading ultimately to the best possible plan that balances the wide range of opinions, often competing, from residents of the parish.  

The results so far

In December we stated that ‘a significant majority’ supported the proposals.  A number of residents have asked for the justification for this statement.    

To date, 93 responses were received, representing 176 residents from 69 households.   78% of respondents were from Clifton Hampden, 22% from Burcot.

Across the parish, 67% of the 176 residents represented in responses support the proposals, 25% are against, and 8% neutral.  Within Clifton Hampden, 60% support, 31% are against, 9% are neutral.   Within Burcot, 92% support, 5% are against, 3% are neutral.

These statistics reconfirm the mandate for the Parish Council and steering group to take the project to the next stage.    They will be updated after the consultation closes on 28^th March.   

What is the process from now?

Re-opening the Initial Parish Consultation

We are re-opening the Initial Parish Consultation for a further 4 weeks from 1-28^th March.   Whilst the proposals and questions themselves are unchanged, we are providing additional information to explain how we have got to where we are today, and the rationale behind the proposals for the surgery and housing.   

What happens after this consultation closes?

Once this 4 week period is over, we will be analysing responses from both periods, refine our understanding of the main issues that need to be considered, e.g. environmental issues, impact on individual properties, number and type of housing, location and orientation of buildings, design styles, flooding, parking and traffic flow.

We will then hold a series of workshops seeking residents views on how they would like to see the main issues addressed.    If the COVID-19 situation allows, we will hold these workshops face to face.    We will then make changes to the scheme.   

There will be a second consultation on the amended proposals, around September 2021.

We will then analyse responses and make further changes to the scheme.

There will then be a statutory SODC led consultation in early 2022.

We will then analyse responses and if necessary, make further changes to the scheme.

The proposals will then be submitted for public examination by an inspector, in Spring 2022.  

Finally a referendum mid 2022.

Nothing is set in stone.   You will have at least 3 further opportunities to influence the proposals and ultimately use your vote to decide the outcome. 

(Please note that the dates above are slightly later than those given in the Parish Council chair’s letter).

Why are we re-opening the Initial Parish Consultation?

Firstly, a number of residents said that they did not have enough information to make an informed judgement, and would have liked more time.   

Secondly, 176 residents were represented in responses to date.   The parish has approximately 650 residents of all ages, all of whom have a stake in the future of our parish, its amenities and housing.   So we would like to hear from as many residents as possible, and I encourage those who have not yet responded to take this second opportunity to do so.   

We would like to emphasise again that these are illustrative proposals only.   They will be reviewed and amended, and increasing levels of details added over the next 9 months before the proposals are sent for statutory consultation.  

We will also be holding 3 public meetings over this period (dates to be announced):

• An extraordinary Parish Council meeting
• A meeting with residents of Watery Lane
• A meeting with residents of the High Street

1. Overview

Our Neighbourhood Plan will secure the future of our community and our amenities in the face of the direct threat posed by the massive developments at Culham and Berinsfield.

In surveys and drop in events, you told us the most important things to you are to grow the village, sustain the shop and post office, provide a new surgery, additional assembly space for the school, improvements for the village hall, additional parking, and 25-30 new homes for existing residents to downsize and to welcome newcomers.

The Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) is a planning application submitted by the Parish Council.  Its purpose is to implements the community’s instructions, as expressed through the Village Plan in 2015, the follow up survey and drop-in consultation events in November 2018, this Initial Parish Consultation, and future consultations.

Our vision is for a single, thriving, sustainable parish formed of two distinct villages, each with its own particular identity and character, with shared facilities and amenities.

The Parish Council has negotiated a unique opportunity to secure our future and that of our amenities.   Whilst the financial aspects of the settlement can only be finalised and published alongside the final version of the scheme, Chart 1 gives an indicative distribution of the % financial value released to the parish, landowner, and developer from the current version of the scheme.