Alex - Chairperson of the Cassington Allotment Association and Resident of Cassington Village
Dear Residents of Cassington Village,
Like many of you I was very surprised when a leaflet dropped through my front door on the 1st October describing a development of 40-50 rental properties destroying 2/3rds of the allotment. This allotment has been in operation for about one hundred years and several of my fellow gardeners have tended their plots for decades. It is a place where young and old (and those in between) work together, we grow healthy food for our families, and we provide a haven for wildlife. It is the green beating heart of the village and together with the pub, village green, church and sports centre form the apex of social contact, health and well-being for all of us.
The leaflet was sold as having been developed through consultation with members of the village (a total of 5 people/households I believe) and makes much of providing affordable homes to local families, “improving” the allotment and village connectivity. My view is that it is an example of gross over-development for a village of our size. 40 – 50 rental properties come with 1.5 allocated parking spaces each, so at least 60-75 cars, all exiting to the main road in Cassington via Elms Road. It is not included in the Local Plan and comes on top of the 20 houses built by Blenheim Estates in the last couple of years potentially increasing the size of the village by 20% or more in amalgamation. The Eynsham – Woodstock sub-area has already been allocated 5,596 houses which are in the process of being built to the year 2031.
This is by far the largest housing allocation of any sub-area in West Oxfordshire and forms a third of an estimated 15,950 houses being built in the district. At Yarnton and Begbroke 4,400 houses are planned, including on green belt land, effectively fusing the two villages. These developments are eroding our health and well-being through the increasing impact of traffic on the A40 and using the village as a rat run as other routes such as the A4095 and A44 become congested.
Some people I have spoken to about this development have suggested it is “fait accompli”. Blenheim Estates have steam-rollered other villages and inflicted on them unwanted development and this plan will inevitably be accepted, even if in reduced form. I can assure you that given the evidence I have examined, together with other members of the Allotment Association as well as advice we have received, this is not the case. It is up to the villagers of Cassington as to what our housing needs are and where we want to see development take place should we decide it is needed. If you decide this development is not needed to meet local needs (given the massive development around us) then we can all collectively stand up and ask the Parish Council to reject this proposal in its entirety.
Email: admin@cassingtonallotments.org.uk if you are a resident of Cassington email us your name and address with some text like below.
I REJECT THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR, NOR DO I WANT, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING ON THE CASSINGTON ALLOTMENT SITE OR ADJOINING LAND TO THE NORTH (BMX track) IN ANY FORM.
I SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN FOR CASSINGTON WITH FULL CONSULTATION OF ALL RESIDENTS TO ASSESS THE FUTURE HOUSING NEEDS OF THE VILLAGE, WHERE SUCH DEVELOPMENT SHOULD TAKE PLACE AND WHEN.