Hanborough Action Group (HAG) is a community-led group representing
residents of Long Hanborough and Church Hanborough.
We’re concerned about the possibility of 300 new houses in Long
Hanborough.
The draft
Local Plan classifies Long Hanborough as a Tier 2 Service Centre and
proposes a site for housing development at the east end of the village,
south of the existing Hanborough Park or station development and surrounding
the north east edge of ancient Pinsley Wood.
Hanborough Action Group believes further large-scale development would
have a severe and irreversible impact on both the everyday functioning of
the community and the rural character of the area that residents deeply
value.
We acknowledge the need for new housing, but firmly oppose
disproportionate growth exceeding that which the village can
sustainably support.
Hanborough has already absorbed a highly disproportionate share of new
housing.
Census data shows its population increased by 35% in the decade to 2021.
Development since then, plus the 150 houses approved for ‘North Field’, mean
the population is already set to rise to 4015 — a rate of expansion more
than four times the district average.
| 2011 |
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| 2021 |
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| Approved |
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| Potential |
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| Each figure represents 100 people. Approved and potential
based on an average of 2.4 per household.
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And the natural environment is particularly at risk.
The proposal would develop greenfield land, next to ancient woodland and
home to significant biodiversity and wildlife including badgers, deer and
bats.
Take action
We encourage you to engage with West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC)
as much as possible as it continues to develop the Local Plan.
The current phase is the Preferred Spatial Options consultation which is
live until 22 December. Please answer the questions posed and submit your
thoughts and concerns on the proposed site and scale of future development
in Long Hanborough:
Take part in the Local Plan consultation →
You can also email your objections to the location or scale of the
proposed housing development to the Planning Policy team at
planning.consultation@westoxon.gov.uk.
Email the Planning
Policy team →
And please encourage your friends and neighbours to do the same. This is
a numbers game!
Factors to consider
Our area has oversubscribed services, congested road and rail links, and
valuable biodiversity that would be threatened by another large housing
development. To help prepare your response to the consultation, you can
read more about these and other issues here.
See factors to consider →
Our response
Hanborough Action Group has submitted a response to the consultation:
HAG’s response (PDF) →
If you don’t have time to write your own, please send a simple email to
planning.consultation@westoxon.gov.uk stating that you agree with and
endorse Hanborough Action Group’s response. Please encourage others in
your household and street to do so as well.
Your voice matters
It’s vital that as many people as possible engage with the Preferred
Spatial Options consultation. The more that respond, the greater our chance
of influencing WODC’s plans. This is a numbers game!
Our feedback from previous consultations has been taken on board by WODC.
They acknowledge that the infrastructure requires support prior to further
development, and that there is a lot of objection to large-scale growth.
Now it’s imperative that we continue to raise our voices. The Local Plan is
still at draft stage, so we can still make a difference.
Contact Hanborough Action Group
Email: hanboroughactiongroup2@gmail.com