Planning Applications Withdrawn
January 16, 2008
On November 16th, in a letter to local Residents Associations, Julie Waldron, Chief Executive of the Oxford and Bucks Mental Health Trust, stated that “we have taken the decision not to pursue the appeal against the Council for non-determination of our planning appeals”. This is a major victory for local campaigners, and for Friends of Warneford Meadow which was originally set up to oppose these planning applications. Many people should be thanked for their efforts in helping to secure this climb down with special thanks to the City Councillors who, despite pressure from their own planning officials, powerful local interests and the cost implications, have refused to back the planning applications.
So what happens next? The letter from Mulie Waldron says “I very much believe we can now find a way forward which is acceptable without any further delay or cost.” FOWM presumes this means that she has alternative plans which she thinks can persuade the local community to back and which can then pass swiftly through the City planning procedures. We have to wait and see what these plans are but there is no way that FOWM will agree with any planning proposals that do not guarantee the long-term future of the Meadow as an accessible space.
