News 2022
Latest (Spring 2022) Developments
Not one but two threats to the rural landscape have emerged to the East of Banbury either side of the A422 Banbury - Brackley road. Neither area is part of the Local Plan. The first is for a commercial development to the South of the A422 at Netherthorpe. this will despoil a pleasant countryside area near Banbury, much loved by dog walkers and the local community. It is also the site of medieval ridge and furrow farming which is still visible. The second for an even bigger commercial development on the Huscote Farm site, see below, for which outline planning permission is sought. Comments on this application are required by 30th June, and you can find the detail on Cherwell's Planning site. You can also follow the action on the Keep Nethercote rural web site and view the BCS comments here.
Oxford County Council is proposing a major shake-up of traffic in Banbury through a Local Cycling and Walking Improvement Plan (LCWIP) which is given a page of its own on our site. Please study it!
Banbury 15 Development (again)
Yet another attempt to build a service station on the Banbury 15 land, the area to the North and East of Junction 11, currently being 'developed' with the construction of two more large warehouses. The developers have submitted planning application 21/02467/F to build a Petrol Service staton three drive-through outlets for fast food and coffee, a 240 bed hotel, and a four storey office block. Readers with long memories will recall that back in 2017 Eurogarages Ltd applied to build a Motorway Service Station on this site. The application, 17/01044/F, was rejected, with the Planning committee citing the lack of need, the underestimated effect on local traffic and the Junction 11 roundabout in particular, and the fact that the Cherwell Local Plan 2011 - 2031 had earmarked the site for 'Advanced engineering and knowledge based industry'. Needless to say, the proposal fell a long way short of that ideal. A year later they came back with proposal 18/00128/HYBRID, to develop the site without the service station, just two very large sheds, and no specific proposal for the southern end of the site. Sadly this was approved hence the current construction activity on the site and the erection of monstrous warehousing and the general disfigurement of the landscape. This latest proposal seeks to reinstate the unwanted facilities and attracts exactly the same objections as the one from four years ago.
If you feel strongly abut the future of Banbury as a magnet for high paying jobs, about the effect of traffic congestion, and the needless duplication of facilities already available within a short distance of Junction 11, you can object via the Cherwell website . You only have until 3rd September to do so.
The society actively campaigns on local issues. this is one that has just flared up and been resolved thanks at least in part to the Society's actions.
Pepper Alley
Members will be aware of the long-standing (i.e for a number of centuries) Public Right of Way known as Pepper Alley, which links High Street to George Street. The origin of the name is uncertain. It may be medieval (like Butcher’s Row, Horsefair, Cornmarket etc) or may reflect a later grocers and spice merchant's premises known to have been situated in the alley in the early 19th Century. Whatever the origins of the name, the route itself is generally agreed to be medieval, separating medieval burgage plots and connecting the (larger) medieval Market Place to George Street (formerly Fish Street).
In September the Society was alerted by two individuals (direct and via the website), enquiring about the legitimacy of a steel gate with keypad lock that had been fixed across the High Street end of Pepper Alley, closing off Peper Alley at dusk every day, with only holders of the keypad code being able to pass through. Not only was the gate an obstruction to a Public Right of Way, it was also fixed to two Listed buildings without consent. Both Oxfordshire C.C. (responsible for Public Rights of Way) and Cherwell D.C. (as Planning Authority) were asked for information and Cllr Mallon was included in the circulation.
It transpired that one or both authorities had known about the illegal obstruction since 21st August but had been unable to identity who was responsible.The Society's officers were able to provide appropriate information and as a result we are pleased to report that due to the efforts of OCC, Cherwell’ enforcement team, Cllr Mallon and your officers, the gate has now been removed.
