Until now, the Vale of White Horse District Council has stuck its head in the sand. The District Council has failed to confront what the High Court said was a 'manifest conflict' between Policy 4.5B and the strategic policies of the Local Plan. This conflict means that Faringdon neighbourhood plan FAILED TO MEET THE BASIC CONDITIONS - a situation that makes it UNLAWFUL - although the Council had already gone ahead and adopted it! However, the Examiners of the Draft 2041 South and Vale Local Plan are now forcing the issue (see below).

Since there has been a change of officer in the Planning Department, and the Joint South and Vale Local Plan is currently under examination, I have written to the Vale's Major Applications Officer, Penny Beale. 

This letter may be of use to Wicklesham supporters preparing to submit objections on MW.0151/23 to OCC by 20th October! And please don't forget to send your REQUEST FOR INFORMATION to Faringdon Town Council- asking for EVIDENCE OF DEMONSTRABLE NEED to DOUBLE the size of Faringdon's employment land. Email: townclerk@faringdontowncouncil.gov.uk (See last update)

Dear Ms Beale,

       Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 4.5B – Wicklesham Quarry SSSI
I am writing to ask if you can advise on how the District Council plans to address the conflict between Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan’s Policy 4.5B, and
     1) the strategic policies of the 2031 Local Plan (detailed below);
     2) the Draft 2041 Joint South and Vale Local Plan (including Policy SP5- Strategy for Faringdon).
I note that, in the Examination of the Draft Joint South and Vale Local Plan, the Examiners have raised the question of how the LPAs intend to address any such conflicts.
Can you tell me whether the District Council has raised this matter with Faringdon Council?

CURRENT SITUATION
There is currently a planning application (MW.0151/23) for a major industrial/ commercial development on top of the Site of Special Scientific Interest, Wicklesham Quarry. It has attracted opposition from several local parish councils, residents of Faringdon and the Western Vale, and principal UK science bodies, the Geological Society and Palaeontological Association, and a UNESCO Geoheritage Adviser.

The scientific importance of Wicklesham Quarry, which has been known and studied since the 17th century, can hardly be over-stated. This is the only known site where research can be carried out on the highly localised, globally unique Faringdon Sponge Gravels. Natural England has confirmed that building on Wicklesham Quarry, which constitutes almost the total area of the SSSI, would result in almost the whole 29 acre site being de-listed, as there would no longer be access for research to the base of the quarry. The earth science bodies consider this would be a catastrophic loss.

The planning proposal (MW.0151/23) is in conflict with the following strategic policies of the Local Plan:
CP3 - the Spatial Strategy & Settlement Hierarchy
CP46 – Conservation and Improvement of Biodiversity
CP4 – the Development Boundary
CP 20 - Spatial Strategy for the Western Vale Sub-Area

The development boundary of Faringdon lies on the northern side of the A420, and Wicklesham Quarry SSSI lies to the south. This proposal, if permitted, would represent a major urban expansion of Faringdon to the south of the A420. The applicants intend that it would be followed by urban development of the whole of Wicklesham Farm, an area similar in size to the whole of Faringdon. Wicklesham Farm was submitted to the District Council in the last call for land. Since Wicklesham Quarry is far larger than the needs of the town could justify, its use as strategic employment land would (i) undermine the delivery of existing strategic employment sites in Faringdon, and (ii) provide a precedent or justification for building on Wicklesham Farm and extending Faringdon further, south of the A420.
The proposed doubling of Faringdon’s employment land is, of course, a major, strategic development proposal that is outside the scope of a neighbourhood plan. As the applicants have acknowledged, it would have implications for housing, roads and infrastructure that are contrary to the District Council’s Spatial Strategy.

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
I should add that Wicklesham Quarry has been repeatedly rejected by the District Council as a strategic employment site - in Employment Land Reviews (2008, 2013), the Preferred Options Report (2014), and in the Examination of the 2031 Local Plan (Matter 10) in 2016, when the District Council described Faringdon Council’s evidence as neither ‘clear nor persuasive’.
It has since become incontrovertible that Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan failed to meet the ‘basic conditions’, as ruled in 2017 by the High Court, because of Policy 4.5B.
It is unclear whether Oxfordshire County Council recognizes or gives any weight to either the policy context, history, or the planning implications of this application.

DRAFT 2041 SOUTH AND VALE JOINT LOCAL PLAN
I note that this planning application is also contrary to the strategic policies of the Draft 2041 Joint South and Vale Local Plan: -
SP2- Settlement Boundary
NH1- Sites of Special Scientific Interest
SP5- Strategy for Faringdon

Policy SP5 states:
1) Neighbourhood development plan reviews are expected to, and the council will support development proposals that:
c) provide new employment opportunities and improve the building stock within existing employment sites and brownfield sites within the built-up area;

In view of all these circumstances, please can you advise:
(i) How the District Council intends to address the conflict between Policy 4.5B, on which the applicants of Application MW.0151/23 rely, and the strategic policies of the 2031 Local Plan referred to above?
(ii) How the District Council intends to address the conflict between Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan Policy 4.5B and the policies of the Draft 2041 Joint Local Plan, and in particular, SP5 Strategy for Faringdon?

Many thanks for your assistance in this matter.

Please keep in touch and send any questions or comments to: protectwicklesham@gmail.com. Remember- you can find ALL earlier updates with useful information  at the bottom of the petition main page.