HANWELL VILLAGE NEWS RELEASE
PERSIMMON PLANNING APPEAL AT HANWELL FIELDS

 ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL?

Hanwell is a small Ironstone village of approximately 120 houses located about a mile north of Banbury in North Oxfordshire.  The majority of the village is a conservation area with two historic listed buildings - the 12th Century St. Peter's Church and Hanwell Castle and its grounds dating from 1498 - and many old houses and cottages.

Hanwell’s problem is that it is at risk of being swallowed up by the continued expansion of Banbury.  There is a housing shortage in the South-East and the Government is keen to encourage as much house building as possible. The housing pressures on Banbury are intense and Cherwell District Council must meet Government housing targets.

The village accepted the new Hanwell Fields development of 900 houses, to the north of Banbury, and this has been carefully planned to become the definitive northern edge to the town. This leaves a strategic gap of open countryside between the urban edge and the village of Hanwell.

Cherwell District Council has earmarked the Bankside scheme of about 900 houses to the south of Banbury as the next major development for the town.

DAVID AND GOLIATH STRUGGLE

Now Hanwell finds itself in a “David and Goliath” struggle with an opportunistic major developer.  Persimmon Homes are now attempting to push through another 400 houses on unallocated land to the north of Hanwell Fields.

As John Spratt, Chairman of Hanwell Parish Council, puts it:

“Hanwell is typical of many other Oxfordshire villages threatened with losing their unique character by being swallowed up in an urban sprawl. Banbury is creeping ever closer to us.”

The threat of a further 400 houses encroaching on this important gap seemed to have been averted when the planning application was refused in November 2006 by Cherwell District Council.

However, not only have Persimmon then appealed against the refusal of the planning application, but they have also have mounted a legal challenge against the approved development at Bankside, south of Banbury, which is being developed by a rival company.

CYNICAL MANIPULATION OF PLANNING PROCESS

John Spratt continued:

“Many villagers see Persimmon’s actions as a cynical manipulation of the planning process - nothing short of a scandal.

By blocking the Bankside development they seem to be hoping to force Cherwell District Council to accept their development so that they can meet their housing targets. That would be a very cynical tactic.”

LOCAL INDIVIDUALITY LOST FOREVER

John Spratt added:

“All over the South-East, small villages are being eaten up by urbanisation. Many of us feel that financial greed combined with excessive local housing targets is creating a concrete jungle, where local individuality is lost forever.”

Arnold Bailey, parish councillor, commented :

“In the case of Hanwell, Cherwell Council’s successive local plans have long recognised the green gap of countryside between Banbury and Hanwell village as an area of landscape value, and its policy is that this landscape should be protected.  We are supporting Cherwell’s policy and insisting that this policy should be defended.  The character and integrity of the village and its historic landscape around Hanwell Castle and St Peter’s Church in particular would be overwhelmed should this development be pushed through on appeal.

Hanwell’s fight to maintain its unique character typifies the situation of many Oxfordshire villages.

For the sake of future generations, we hope that the Inspector at July’s appeal finds in favour of the Council’s planning policies and the preservation of local individuality.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION :

CALL ARNOLD BAILEY ON 07887 568976
OR EMAIL: arnold.bailey2@btinternet.com

Issued on behalf of Hanwell Parish Council, Oxfordshire.
www.hanwellvillage.com