For those that have not heard about the latest situation regarding planning around Banbury, the developments in Bloxham, Saltway and Hook Norton have been appealed and overturned by the Secretary of State, Mr. Pickles. This is a scandalous result for the residents of Banbury and more importantly for those communities that will be effected….much like our’s. However the likes of Cllr Gibbard and the planning department are completely 100% to blame for this. They have been working on the Local Plan for 7 years and it’s still a complete disaster. If these people were in a real, private sector job they would have been dismissed by now. They have failed us.

For the past 18 months HFDAG have repeatedly told CDC about their Draft Local Plan, we have told them their numbers are wrong, we have told them the whole plan is wrong. We now hear that North Warwickshire has had its Local Plan dismissed by the planning inspectorate because their data is out of date, well CDC is basing their figures on even older information which means it’s inevitable that the CDC plan will also be rejected, or delayed until a more up-to-date version is created. Therefore the developers can appeal a decision on the basis that the Local Plan is not fully implemented. Erik Pickles then asks the district council for proof to reject the plans. They can’t, so he has no choice but to pass them.

It is for this reason and this reason alone that CDC should be held accountable for their incompetence and their failure to deliver.

This now leads me on to other news regarding the Miller Homes Development on West of Warwick Road, They have now lodged an appeal to Mr. Pickles, given the recent results of other local appeals why wouldn’t they. In all honesty they’ll probably win. So I can see us getting more housing besides BAN5 and BAN2. Perhaps (a big leap in faith, I know) the developers may hold off on BAN2 at least. That seems like the least likely to make it through to development.

I have been told that work has started on the Bankside development, which I believe they have started now because other builders are getting permission, but who knows.

As yet still no sign of an application from Amber Developments for the field opposite Winter Gardens Way.