Milton Heights plan for 458 homes

Plans have been submitted for 458 homes, a sports pavilion for Milton United FC and reserved land for a school expansion at Abingdon. Focus Design, on behalf of the Hartwright Family, have submitted the plans for a 26.1 hectare site at Milton Heights. The homes are expected to partially serve the workforce at Science Vale UK. The application to Vale of White Horse District Council acknowledges that the district is unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of land for housing and therefore the

260 homes planned for quiet Crowmarsh Gifford

A total of 260 homes could come to the quiet Oxfordshire village of Crowmarsh Gifford in three neighbouring planning applications. Peter Brett Associates, listed as both applicant and agent, has applied to South Oxfordshire District Council for a screening opinion on whether and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed for 100 homes, new access road and provision of land for a school on an 8.31 hectare site at Newnham Manor, close to the A4074. It adjoins a site where Pegasus Urban

Dawnus Construction appointed for Peach Place, Wokingham

Dawnus Construction has been appointed the main contractor for the redevelopment of Peach Place, part of Wokingham town centre regeneration. This Peach Place phase will involve a new pedestrianised public square on the site of the existing Rose Street car park, new shops and restaurants with apartments above, new public toilets and four houses fronting onto Rose Street. Cllr Mark Ashwell, executive member for planning and regeneration, said: “It’s been a long slog as we started the process of

More homes proposed at disputed Benson site

Plans for 187 homes at Benson have been submitted on land which already has permission for 159. And the site in Littleworth Road is next to another where 241 homes were approved in July. Site owner RJ & S Styles’s application for 159 homes in Littleworth Road close to Benson Primary School won consent in Spring. Then in July the same applicant won permission for 241 homes from South Oxfordshire District Council in the face of much opposition from local residents. It was subject to agreement

Openwell plans 72 affordable keyworker homes in Oxford

A plan has been submitted for 72 one-bedroom flats in Oxford which will be 100 per cent affordable homes for keyworkers. Openwell, which describes itself as a social innovations company, has applied to Oxford City Council to build the homes on 1.24 hectares of land off William Morris Close The flats are primarily to cater for staff at the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals and other health workers and ambulance staff. Half the homes will be available for purchase at a 20 per cent discount

Guildford Spectrum could be replaced after just 23 years

A feasibility study is to look at replacing the Guildford Spectrum leisure centre after just 23 years. The centre has had problems with a leaking roof ever since it was built and councillors have suggested the £12 million repair costs may make building a replacement centre a more viable option. Guildford Borough Council’s lead councillor for rural economy, countryside, parks and leisure, Cllr Richard Billington said: "We are looking into the possibility of replacing Guildford Spectrum with a

£7m bid to solve Playhatch Road misery

A bid for £7m of Government funds to raise the B478 Playhatch Road by up to 80cm to prevent flooding is to be made by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC). The road which was closed for several weeks in 2014 when sections of it were under water, leads to a key river crossing at Sonning Bridge, and is close to the Sonning home of Prime Minister Theresa May. But the bridge becomes inaccessible when the road is flooded and in the latest of a series of public meetings at Dunsden Village Hall, David

Go-ahead for Oxford - Cambridge link

New transport links between Oxford and Cambridge have been described as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create the UK’s Silicon Valley. Chancellor Philip Hammond is to approve £27 million for an expressway linking Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Oxford in this week's Autumn Statement. It was recommended by the National Infrastructure Commission’s (NIC) interim report on the Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Oxford corridor, published on Thursday, November 17 It got a warm welcome from Oxfordshire

New community and leisure centre planned for Amersham

A new leisure and community hub is being considered to replace the Chiltern Pools and youth centre in Amersham. Chiltern District Council is asking members of the public for their toughts on a the concept of a new centre. A consultation runs until December 12. The new centre is expected to include: * An eight-lane 25 metre swimming pool with viewing area * A diving / teaching pool alongside a kids' splash pad area * A four badminton court sports hall * A climbing wall * Children's soft play

CityFibre launches Gigabit City Bracknell

Broadband speeds of 500Mbps and even 1Gbps are now available in Bracknell after it became the UK’s 40th Gigabit city. A high speed pure fibre network has been made available by IT infrastructure provider CityFibre and telecoms specialist BtL who launched their services in Bracknell on Wednesday (November 16) at the Hilton Hotel. CityFibre has been taking its high speed broadband to towns and cities all over the UK. It bypasses BT’s copper cables which causes a bottleneck to most services.