There was a good turn out to the exhibition today showing the developers plans for 170 new dwellings in a field in South Abingdon.
The field in question is east of the Drayton Road (on the picture with the pointy trees in front).
The field in question (with red outline) appears on this map to be one of the few fields on the Abingdon perimeter that is neither floodplain (blue) nor greenbelt (green). Yellow is residential and purple stripes business.
The plan would involve a new junction onto the Drayton Road. (thanks to Nigel for sending this mash up map)
The developers have not done the traffic studies yet but say they would look to introduce traffic mitigation measures so that Drayton Road traffic would be no worse or dangerous than it is currently.
There was a high turnout because Drayton Road is such a traffic blackspot and residents were concerned about the traffic impact .
This attempt to develop a field in South Abingdon does raise the question about where can Abingdon expand now.
In South Abingdon there will be a lot of opposition if better infrastructure is not put in place. In North Abingdon green belt land would need to be sacrificed.
Is there any way that people who couldnt get to the presentation can get hold of the questionnaire or express their views? Website?
Interesting to see the little “field” on the corner of Audlett drive and Radley road is greenfield. I heard that’s about to get a planning application put on it too.
We went to speak to the company last night at 6 pm in the hall after mail shotting lots of houses around my estate near Masefield. All the residents there were voicing the same concern about traffic but these ‘suits from Bristol’ clearly did not see or were not interested in that problem. I’m sure these houses will go up and when the developers and the farmer who sold the land have long gone, we will be left sat in the queue of traffic every day. It’s quicker now for residents off Mill Rd to turn right and go through Drayton and Steventon to get to places like Bampton and RAF Brize Norton which is madness never mind the 4 extra miles.
you can get a copy of the presentation by emailing ksprackman@henryboot.co.uk
Drayton Road has been a traffic nightmare for years, what have the local planning authorities done about it? NOTHING.
Houses will be built on this and other sites in South Abingdon if not now in the near future.
Lets see acttion to solve this trafic mess, not hear the oft repeated reasons why nothing can be done.
This is a big issue and must be stopped.
Not sure whether anyone has noticed, but there are what looks like traffic monitoring cameras on the Caldecott Roundabout.
I see the Government wants to speed up Planning, cut “red tape”; is this a ooincidence??
The cameras are conducting a traffic survey while the kids are still off. How realistic are those figures going to be?
Quite rightly a lot of attention is being devoted to the impact of this on the Drayton road traffic.
However I think there are also important issues about the lack of pedestrian/cycle routes in to the development. They have not managed to secure access through the existing housing estates so all the children going to school, people going shopping either locally or in town, or going to the leisure facilities at Lambrick way or the river will have to go along the Drayton Road then down Preston road. That is not a good route for children, or families on bikes or on foot, so that will mean yet more cars.
There is also an issue of social isolation: these residents will be very cut off from the rest of the community. They will probably land up going elsewhere for their shopping and entertainment and having minimal realtionship with Abingdon.
So thumbs down on sustainability and contribution to Abingdon vitality – both of which their “blurb” made mucch of!
Schools went back earlier this week – road has been pretty bad every time I’ve had to cross it when taking the children to school. Hopefully the survey will show how bad things really are during rush hour.
Just look at the town centre traffic, what a mess so are they worried about Drayton Road, NO. Were has this town council got its head (up its rear).
Terry – happy to discuss traffic with you whenever you want but the town council does not control roads in Abingdon. Oxfordshire County Council are responsible for this.
Spoke to a teacher yesterday from the school on Preston Rd and she despite them being full they are having to take kids from Dalton Barracks as troops are brought back from closing bases in Germany so where will the children go from this new “estate”?
Any idiot can see that the effect on traffic on the Drayton rd will be substantial – and it’s beyond bad already. I notice Iain from Abingdon Town Council is quick to say that they have no control over the roads – it is Oxfordshire C Council’s domain. Well why don’t you start acting like you represent the people of Abingdon and make the appropriate robust representations on our behalf? It’s always easier to say ‘ nothing we can do ‘ than actually act! What is traffic mitigation? Does it actually reduce the amount of cars on the road? Of course not! Finally the increased burden on local schools/services etc needs to be addressed. It’s going to bring added pressures and further traffic misery!
Stuart – I’m sure you’re a lovely guy, but I’m afraid you’re talking rubbish on this one. Send me an email and I’m more than happy to meet you for a coffee and discuss what town councillors have the power to, and by and large do, do. (if that’s proper English)
Just reread my comment and just to be clear – I am only disagreeing with your views on the powers of a town Councilor Stuart – I agree with your views on the traffic, and indeed have already made this clear to Hallams and will also do so to the district council when/if they submit a formal planning application
Whatever Iain may say, while the county council are ultimately responsible for roads in Abingdon, it was the Town and Vale councils that recommended the new traffic system to them. I remember the ‘consultations’ on it and telling them it wouldn’t work. Gave me no pleasure to be proved right.
So let’s have both councils recommending that this development does not go ahead.
Kelly – both Vale and Town administrations have changed since then. I will be surprised if very many people on the town council will be supporting this development.
It’s always best to just email your councillor rather than get into discussions on blogs
re cllr Jason. It is better to contribute to the discussion by posting on a blog with others AND emailling/writing to your councillor(s).
before anyone complains though,they have to remember that they are probably living in a house that’s built on what was once an abingdon field – you have to have a really good reason to say ‘ it was ok to build my house that way but now stop’
Many of our houses are indeed built on ‘what was once a field’, but surely Abingdon is over stretched now. The Drayton Rd is appalling for traffic ….. and the idea of getting rid of the mini roundabouts for traffic lights will only slow traffic up more! Roundabouts keep the flow going – look at the top of Ock Street – before the lights the traffic flowed freely! I’m sick having to take about 30 mins + in the mornings just to leave our estate!
Perhaps residents should get together and buy a few feet of land each in that field. It’s been done before by other townsfolk.
We’ve lost the Old Gaol, Pavlova, MG sports ground, Brewery and countless infilling dotted around the town …… when will it stop!
There was a boring machine entering the field this morning
I do not believe the planners about mitigating the effect on the Drayton Road. As long as they can build houses and get a profit they would not be concerned about the resulting traffic impact. Incidently the problem with parking along Preston Road has not been resolved. I have been forced to stop three times as cars drivers, although seeing someone coming up the road, have pulled out to pass the cars and the result is an impending head on collision. I am going to take photos and send a petition to the Highways agency to ask for a continuous layby along Preston road as the parked cars will result in a bad accident soon. I have nearly been forced off the road.
Re: Csllr Jason, is there an ‘internet forum’ where such topics can be discussed rather than on here?
To suggest that we keep things to direct email is daft, in this day and age we can have open discussion via forums…I have only stumbled across the plans for this development via this blog, and I would bet that 95% of residents living south of the Ock have no idea about this development, and won’t know until its to late. The more we can get it out in the open and views from all the better.
So do we have a public ‘Abingdon Forum’ online where such things can be discussed rather than it being hid away on a small blog site, or discussed via email?
There seem to be diggers and surveyors in that field this morning
Dreadful news. My heart goes out to the folk that live in South Abingdon. This will bring even more misery for early morning commuters
It seems to be the way everywhere I have lived that Housing development happens ahead of infrastructure development. I do not deny the need for extra housing in the South, and Abingdon probably needs to take its share, but one would hope that over time planners would learn that you need to anticipate better parking, traffic, commercial and service needs.
Re. 4. Back Streeter
‘you can get a copy of the presentation by emailing ksprackman@henryboot.co.uk‘
Anyone had any luck with this? I’ve tried to contact three times with no reply!
no I have had nothing either but was told
Dear Mr Backstreeter
I will be happy to send you copies of our exhibition display boards once they have been finalised.
Kind regards,
Katie Sprackman
Graduate Planner
Hallam Land Management
3 Apex Court,
Woodlands,
Bradley Stoke,
Bristol.
BS32 4JT
t. 01454 625532
No but I did get a reply from that email a few days before the exhibition saying “I will be happy to send you copies of our exhibition display boards once they have been finalised.” I
I shall check back whether they are finalised.
Tim – I put my name down at the meeting and have been sent a set. I’ll forward them to Alastair or if you drop me a mail at my town council web address I’ll happily forward them to you.
Only just seen this, it’s hell trying to get out of south Abingdon in the mornings (Apart from when the kids are off school) new housing can only happen if infrastructure is massively improved.
Drayton is also in consultation over proposals to build about 500 new homes there in the coming years, so the impact on the Drayton Road and all of Abingdon’s facilities, will be even greater!
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