Long Wittenham’s district councillor Sue Lawson has promised to help “fast-track” the Parish Council’s revised Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) and referendum when they go for approval to South Oxfordshire District Council.
The NDP includes plans for a Community Hub comprising thirty-five to forty homes, a new school, pre-school and village hall on land off Didcot Road. If approved by residents in a referendum then the revised NDP should give the parish council a larger measure of certainty against future attempts by developers to muscle in on land.
Speaking at the parish council’s March meeting Mrs Lawson said: “It’s important that a revised NDP is in place for the village. I will be in contact with everyone I can at the district council to fast-track a revised NDP and new referendum date.”
A public meeting to discuss the new NDP is expected to be held next month followed by another referendum this summer. A draft revised NDP document is expected to be lodged with SODC by the end of this month.
Parish Councillor Peter Rose who leads the NDP Steering Group said: “It is disappointing that we have to revise our plan so soon but we are assured that a revised plan will give us more certainty for the future. We are working on the revisions as quickly as possible, aided by several volunteers”.