West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) is continuing to develop its pioneering plan. The group wants to construct 60-70 affordable homes on the site of Witney’s Woodford Way car park. This currently under construction scheme provides one and two-bedroom apartments for social rent. Most importantly, it directly addresses the ever-growing need for affordable housing in the community. The progress has recently sparked huge controversy among neighbors over the effects on residential parking. They claim the loss of residential parking.
At present the Woodford Way car park provides just 250 public spaces. The new proposal addresses parking for only 20 out of a potential 1,000 public spaces. At the same time, 70 of the spaces will be dedicated solely to residents of the new housing. More than 2,300 current Pinecrest residents have signed a local petition to stop the incursion. They think that taking away car parking will put more strain on the other car parks in Witney and will discourage people from visiting the town.
For all these objections, WODC argues that Witney will still be left with over 1,600 parking spaces in and near the town centre. And recent assessments by the council have demonstrated that Witney’s current car parks would more than comfortably serve local demand. Now, there’s lots of capacity out there…just not for everybody.
As mentioned, there is an urgent need for new affordable housing options. More than 2,300 households in West Oxfordshire are already waiting for homes. Against a backdrop of national government housing targets, WODC has committed to providing an additional 18,000 homes by 2043. The council’s redoubled focus on the importance of this housing initiative is evident in the language of its leaders.
“We are acting now because the need is urgent, with families, individuals and key workers in West Oxfordshire being priced out of the place they call home,” stated Andy Graham, leader of WODC. He emphasized that this scheme seeks to respond to community feedback, asserting that it focuses on providing “truly affordable homes, particularly social rent, in the right locations, with strong links to services and the community.”
The proposed plan is not without disagreement from all council members. Liam Walker, the deputy leader of WODC’s Conservative group and the man behind the petition that forced the development to be debated, condemned the proposal. He stated, “This proposal is completely out of touch with the reality of life in Witney.”
WODC have shown great willingness to listen to the community’s concerns about possible parking problems and agreed to explore other options. Cllr. Lidia Arciszewska noted that the council does not shy away from these difficulties. They are committed to working with stakeholders on a sensible, balanced approach to mitigate them.
