ABOVE: The whole of Wicklesham Farm has been put forward for building 2,500 houses- doubling the size of Faringdon south of the A420. This DEPENDS on turning Wicklesham Quarry (the wedge shape south of the A420) into a huge industrial/ commercial development - obliterating Faringdon's  unique Site of Special Scientific Interest. 

The FRIENDS OF WICKLESHAM QUARRY are a new local group working to stop Oxfordshire County Council allowing Faringdon’s UNIQUE Site of Special Scientific Interest to be concreted over.

Faringdon’s magnificent SSSI is the ONLY location where scientists from across the world can access the UNIQUE FOSSIL RECORD known as the FARINGDON SPONGE GRAVELS for research. Wicklesham Quarry SSSI has numerous FOSSIL species that exist NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH! (Follow the link below for Natural England’s SSSI listing.) Known to natural philosophers since the 17th Century, Isaac Newton sponsored field collection of Wicklesham's fossils for the FIRST CATALOGUE of ENGLISH FOSSILS published in 1699.

FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE FRIENDS OF WICKLESHAM QUARRY WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THE PETITION. PLEASE JOIN THIS LOCAL GROUP AND HELP US TO PROTECT WICKLESHAM QUARRY SSSI AND THE MIDVALE RIDGE- WHICH IS ALSO AT RISK!

THE SAME DEVELOPERS ARE WAITING TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR 2,500 HOUSES ON THE MIDVALE RIDGE- DOUBLING THE SIZE OF FARINGDON south of the A420 (see 'call for land ' map, above).  THIS APPLICATION- which would extend Faringdon as far as Ringdale Hill, Fernham,  DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS AT WICKLESHAM QUARRY.

THE TRAVESTY OF THE PLANNING PROCESS

• NO INFORMATION regarding the importance of this ‘SCIENTIFICALLY PRICELESS’ site (as described by Professor Mark Wilson) was given to Councillors on the Planning Committee – NOT EVEN A MAP!
• No Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out!
• No Survey and Assessment of the SSSI was submitted- as required by the County Council’s Validation List!
• No Biodiversity Report was submitted  - also REQUIRED by the Validation List!
• No assessment of harm to the National Character Area of the Midvale Ridge was carried out!

The proposed major development of more than 29,500 square metres IS NOT allocated in the Local Plan, and is in conflict with the District Council’s Spatial Strategy to ‘direct development to the most sustainable locations in the district’ (SO3)- i.e the Science Vale.

Wicklesham Quarry was REJECTED as a strategic development site in the Local Plan Examination in 2016. This planning history was WITHELD from Councillors on the Planning Committee.

Councillors were NOT TOLD that Wicklesham Quarry had been put forward in Employment Land Reviews in 2008 and 2013 – and REJECTED each time. The District Council’s Preferred Options Report in 2014 ruled it out as being ‘far in excess’ of the town’s needs during the Local Plan period.

Councillors were NOT TOLD that the Strategy For Faringdon in the submitted Joint South and Vale Local Plan 2041 specifically PREVENTS Faringdon council from trying to allocate ANY sites outside the settlement boundary, seeking to use  - or rather, misuse - a neighbourhood plan.

COUNCILLORS ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE WERE MISLED AND MANIPULATED

• Councillors were NOT TOLD that the Geological Society and the Paleontological Association had BOTH OBJECTED to this development.
• Councillors were NOT TOLD that Natural England ALSO advised that a Survey and Assessment of the Quarry’s geological resources should be carried out.
• And they were NOT TOLD that Natural England had warned that ‘SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS’ ‘SHOULD BE FULLY CONSIDERED’.

This Planning Process was OBVIOUSLY FLAWED, and we do not intend to let Oxfordshire County Council get away with it!

No planning decision has been issued since the Planning Committee meeting passed a ‘Resolution to Approve’ on 19th January. All these ‘ERRORS’  - and more - have been sent to County Council bosses, and we have strongly urged them to SEND THIS APPLICATION BACK TO COMMITTEE WITH A NEW REPORT.

We will keep the people of Faringdon and the Western Vale posted on emerging events.

Please send any comments or questions to: protectwicklesham@gmail.com

To read Wicklesham Quarry’s SSSI listing, follow the link: https://www.ecoweek.info/Find_Out_More-/SSSIs/Wicklesham_-_Coxwell_Pits_SSSI.pdf