What’s the future for OX12?
That’s the question that I’m going to try to answer in my talk this evening at about 7.30 in the Methodist Church in Wantage?
I’m trying to work out how long it will take for the whole of OX12 to be one large housing development.
I’m hoping for an interesting discussion about what we all want the future to be.
Since 2011, outline planning permission has been granted for over 7,000 homes and applications have been submitted for over 1,000 more.
The only road improvement since 2011 is the Wantage Eastern Relief Road, hopefully to be completed by the end of 2023.
What other road improvements would you like to see?
Or should we close some roads to reduce traffic flows?
Perhaps a Wantage Western Link Road joining Mably way with the A 417 west of East Challow or perhaps the completion of a Grove Northern Relief Road?
Although we have a cycleway between Wantage and Grove and the Sustrans route to Harwell, there are very few cycle routes through OX12 – do we need more? If so where?
We have one new primary school and expansions to most of the local schools. We also have promises for 2 more primary schools and a secondary school (to 16 years) on Grove Airfield.
Will this be enough or do we need more?
An extension to the Health Centre has been granted planning permission but will it be enough or should we be campaigning for an additional practice?
Our Community Hospital is temporarily closed for several services: in-patients (since 2016), maternity births (since August 2021) and minor injuries (since 2002). We have also lost X-ray facilities.
What health facilities do you want to see there?
We were promised a new leisure centre and millions of pounds of developer funds were put aside to build it. This was cancelled and no leisure strategy has yet been forthcoming to recommend where additional leisure facilities should be placed.
What leisure facilities do you want and where do you think they should be?
What about managing climate change – do we want more wild spaces or woodland?
Will our town centre be large enough to cope with all the new homes or should we be planning a new larger centre between Wantage and Grove?
Should Wantage and Grove be combined?
Come along this evening and join the discussion.