Tag Archives: Miller Homes

Miller Homes has been refused

Amber Developments, BAN5, Banbury Local Plan, CDC Localism Act, Cherwell Council, Cherwell District Council, HFDAG, Localism Act, Miller Homes, Pandora Ltd, Persimmon Homes, Rapleys, , , , , , ,

The Miller homes application has been refused. Many members were in favour of this development as it would have the least impact on the area. Out of all the applications presented to the planning committee this site was the only one that had positive comments and yet was turned down….so much for the Localism Act, so much for the council actually listening to it’s residents. We asked our local councillors to help us fight these developments, did they ? hell no. Except when it affected one of their own. We’ll hear all sorts of rubbish about how they haven’t done that. In reality they should have helped us FIGHT ALL of the developments. Shame on them, they’ve lost my vote in the future.

The Miller homes application was byfar the most thoughtout and well planned of all the applications. I really hope CDC get their just rewards and we see the removal of the planning department, the removal of the Chief Exec for being incompetant, and finally the local councillors for having no backbone and no diginity.

Miller Homes Proposed Developments

BAN5, Banbury Local Plan, Cherwell Council, Cherwell District Council, HFDAG, Housing, ,

Antony, Maggie and I went to see the MIller homes exhibition at the town hall on Friday. They are proposing 300 homes on the land of West of Warwick Road. It was really quite informative, and their proposal has certainly been well thought out. We have a few minor issues with it, but overall I think we should support this proposal even though it is not listed on the Cherwell Local Plan. Firstly this site is slightly more sustainable than BAN5 and definitely more than BAN2. Secondly it would further enforce Dukes Meadow Drive (DMD) as the Northern Boundary. More Importantly It highlights our concerns with the council not assessing proposed sites around the town on equal terms.

exhibition_panels-2

For instance, there is a site planned for Bretch Hill (BAN3) which is to the West of Banbury and directly below this Miller site, yet the council is saying the Miller site breaches the Western Boundary, yet the Bretch Hill one doesn’t, If you notice on the map it is actually more Westerly than the Miller site. Furthermore CDC are saying the Miller Site will have impact upon the Drayton Conservation Area (marked in green)…Whooaa hang on a minute the proposed Bretch Hill site has a much greater impact on it.
I’m really beginning to think CDC have published the wrong map in the Local Plan, they must have used the map where developments shouldn’t happen.

What most impressed us was the very fact that they had thought about the plans and done their research. When asked about schooling and education, they could answer with certainty, they have already had a meeting with the Academy school. It transpires that the school is looking to expand within the next 5 years to integrate a primary school and nursery. At the recent Persimmon exhibition they just shrugged their shoulders and said we’d throw some money at the Hanwell Fields Primary school.

Our biggest concern with this development would be traffic down Dukes Meadow Drive to gain access to the town and Motorway. The suggestion was we can propose solutions to them…traffic calming etc etc, Our preferred solution would be to use access on the Hardwick Island, but an issue with tree conservation is preventing that. In the big scheme of things cutting down a few trees would resolve this and would certainly reduce traffic down DMD.

The thing that struck me the most was their attitude, they didn’t come across as money grabbers and seemed concerned about the welfare of Hanwell Fields residents as much as their own. It was almost you help us and we’ll help you. None of the other developers were like that. Who’s to say if that will be true, but at least it seemed sincere.

There are plans for allotments which would be useful for those that wish to grow their own, I know a number of members already have one around the area. I really don’t think we need any more sports pitches.

I’d like to ask you all if you could fill in the feedback form on their website to help support it but mention the issue with traffic on DMD. The more people we can get to fill in this form the greater the chance this development happens rather than the 2 we are fighting.
[Miller Homes Feedback Form]

I would also encourage you all to visit their site and have a look at the plans
[Miller Homes Website]