Council backs rival ecotown plan (From thisisoxfordshire)

Council backs rival ecotown plan

9:57pm Monday 30th March 2009

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Councillors backed their own plan for a rival ecotown to the proposed Weston Otmoor scheme despite a stormy meeting tonight.

Cherwell District Council's executive decided it would press ahead with trying to get the Government to agree to its plan for a 5,000 home settlement north west of Bicester.

It devised the scheme as a rival to the original plan to build 15,000 homes near Weston-on-the-Green.

Cherwell claims Weston Otmoor would damage Bicester and Kidlington, while its own plan would benefit the former.

But villagers and landowners mounted angry opposition at tonight's meeting, rounding on the north west option's chief architect, Cherwell leader Barry Wood.

They have complained the scheme was drawn up without consulting them.

Patrick Woodrow, of Bucknell, told Mr Wood to "find his spine" and stand up to housing minister Margaret Beckett.

Landowner Rosemary Henson, of Himley farm in Chesteron, said: "I bitterly resent being thrown to the wolves as a decoy to divert attention from Weston Otmoor."

But Mr Wood said the development would represent prosperity and investment in Bicester.

He added the infrastructure Bicester desperately needed would only come with a large scale development like the north west Bicester proposal.

Councillors backed the move to officially put North West Bicester in front of the Government as a better option to Weston Otmoor.

A shortlist of ecotowns is expected to be drawn up in the summer.

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