Development plans rejected again

Flashback to January this year as residents of Havenside Close and Haven Lane protest at plans to build houses on a field near their properties

PEOPLE-power prevailed last night as Moorside residents and councillors saw controversial housing plans rejected for the second time this year.

Oxfordshire-based Heyford Developments wanted to build 29 detached and semi-detached homes on a greenfield site off Haven Lane.

The initial plan for 30 homes but was rejected by council planners in February because too few affordable houses were included in the proposal. The developer returned, agreeing to pay over £170,000 for affordable housing and almost £36,000 towards traffic calming measures. But the planning committee unanimously rejected the plan, believing the affordable housing requirement still hadn’t been met and the site was going to be overdeveloped.

Residents complained of parking and traffic problems with similar developments close by.

Representing local residents at last night’s meeting was Neil Buckley, who said: “It’s a fantastic result and a huge relief. For it to be unanimously refused again shows there are fundamental problems.”

twitter: @AlexCareyOC