You haven't heard from me for 2 months now because nothing much has been happening on the planning front until this week.

The District Council meeting yesterday approved Local Plan Part 2 so that allows 400 more homes north of Grove Airfield and 130 more home in East Hanney.

The promised £7m from the Government to complete the Wantage Eastern Link Road through Crab Hill seems to have reduced to less than £2m and even that is subject to conditions so we still aren't sure that the full road from the Mably roundabout on the A338 Grove Road to the Lockinge turning on the A417 will be completed.

Most of the major applications which affect our area are the same ones that were listed in August including:

1. Changes to the Outline Planning application for Grove Airfield P18/V2870/FUL as densities are changed;
2. The detailed application for the 4th phase of Crab Hill (Phase 1b) P19/V0565/RM (just the other side of Castle's Wood from the current St Modwen building site off the A417);
3. The detailed application for the 3rd phase of Grove Airfield P18/V1485/RM (120 homes to the west of the current building works);
4. The application for discharge of the school brief on Grove Airfield P17/V3404/DIS (waiting for Department of Education approval);
5. Lidl on Grove Road P18/V2300/RM (further documents submitted but the access is still off Grove Road between Woolage Drive and the pedestrian crossing);
6. The expansion of Elm Farm Business Park P18/V2025/RM 
7. The Leisure Centre on Mably Way P18/V0760/RM (on "ice" until the District Council works out if it has any money);
8. The Monks Farm (final phase) application for 220 homes behind Williams F1 P19/V1420/O, and
9. The previous phase of Monks Farm  P16/V0981/O for up to 400 dwellings including some land to expand the existing primary school. This was recommended for approval in July 2018 but still not agreed.

For details on any major development please go to our Current Developments Page.

For updates on road closures see https://one.network/ (previously Roadworks.org).

Finally I just had to let you know about the Special Town Council Meeting taking place next Monday evening. At the meeting the Town Mayor, Councillor Major Jim Sibbald, will move the following motion:

"That in accordance with the provisions of Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 the Council admit Her Majesty's Ship Queen Elizabeth and Ship's Company, being persons of distinction, in recognition of their service to the Defence of the Realm and grant them the Honorary Freedom of Wantage whereby permitting Freedom of Entry into the Town with the right, title, privilege, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of Wantage on ceremonial occasions with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and Colours flying."

Freedom of the Town requires the the recipient to have given "eminent" services to Wantage. My simple question is - What have Her Majesty's Ship Queen Elizabeth and Ship's Company done to render "eminent" services to Wantage? Have they done any more that every current and past member of the armed forces have done for Wantage and it's residents? Perhaps I'll find out on Monday evening.
We have already given the Freedom of Wantage to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards when Councillor Major Jim Sibbald was last Mayor and we did have a connection with them through Lord Wantage.

Thanks for reading.

Best wishes
Julie Mabberley

Campaign Manager
Wantage and Grove Campaign Group
www.wantageandgrove.org