Possible Future Developments on Land Between Hillside and Ashlawn Road

In recent weeks residents of Hillside and dog walkers have alerted Bill Lewis that they have seen surveyors working in the land between Hillside Estate and Ashlawn Road.

Bill Lewis made enquiries with Planning Officers at the Council. Bill was informed that there have been initial enquiries from a potential developer about this land. No planning application is expected in the near future. The potential developer intends to hold a public exhibition in January 2014. We will give details in FOCUS as soon as they are available.

Last year the Council's Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) stated that there was insufficient land supply, thus putting the land between Hillside and Ashlawn Road at risk. If the AMR for 2013 comes to the same conclusion the development pressures on this land will become even greater.

In April 2010 Bill Lewis stated his opposition to any development in this area and his position has not changed. There are many reasons why this area should not be developed.

• It is a valuable green buffer zone around the Hillside Estate.
• Any development in this area will increase traffic on the estate roads, particularly on Norton Leys and Goldsmith Avenue and Charlesfield Road and Kingsway. Ashlawn Road too will be affected and it is already likely to suffer from extra traffic due to the new crematorium and by the enormous proposed development on the Radio Station site in Hillmorton.
• The two local schools, Rokeby Infants and Rokeby Junior were amalgamated six years ago to become Rokeby Primary with reduced pupil numbers.
• The County Council propose to sell the Infant School site for more housing.
• There are insufficient child and youth facilities in the area already so additional housing will make this worse.

Please let Bill Lewis know your views. Are you against this area being developed?

If you let Bill have your contact details he will keep you up to date with what is happening. An e-mail address is preferable, please, if you have one. You can find contact details for Bill here.