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582:. One of the few benefits for low-income families of living in a large city is that many facilities, often free of charge or discounted, are on their doorstep or a short bus ride away. This will not be the case for the eco-town in the middle of the countryside. The bias towards low-income households, the elimination of cars and the lack of facilities appear designed to increase the deprivation of already disadvantaged families and to contain them in a
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575:), is building two eco-suburbs of 200 homes each in Swindon. He regards these developments as experimental and aims "not to create ring-fenced ghettos but to focus on the social and physical relationships between Hab projects and the wider community". Eco-town design is in its infancy and Weston Otmoor is far too big to be used as an experiment.
548:
The development includes a power station for
Combined Heat and Power. A 300 megawatt gas fired cogeneration plant would emit up to 1,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas per day. If run on wood chips, it would consume 5,000 tonnes daily. If run on rubbish, it would consume all of Oxfordshire's
462:
Normally 15,000 dwellings would be expected to generate 10,000 car journeys at peak hours. A 100% modal shift to rail was asserted to be completely unrealistic. It seemed therefore highly likely the proposal would break the eco-town rules for sustainability and for exemplary design given the existing
552:
The proposed eco-town will not have "higher order" facilities (those of a larger town such as Oxford) and would thus increase car use. Currently the villages of
Wendlebury, Chesterton, Islip and Woodeaton suffer increasing traffic due to the establishment of a
458:
Figures for expected car ownership and traffic flows are unavailable from the developers. This renders an objective assessment of whether the proposal meets eco-town exemplary transport criteria impossible and the ongoing government consultation meaningless.
526:
and area of semi-wetland. The small village of
Wendlebury, half a mile from the proposed site, is often subject to in-house flooding. The water flows from the site towards and into the village. Building on this flood plain will only exacerbate the problem.
370:, the parent company of Parkridge Developments would base a transport depot at this location giving trucks/lorries easy access to the region's road and motorway network. The ecological/environmental impact of this development was yet to be determined.
549:
annual output. Prevailing winds will carry any particulate fallout and pollutants from the proposed power station (NW corner of site) over
Bicester. Unless the power station runs on biomass, the town will violate the eco-town zero carbon rule.
505:
Bicester suffers from lack of infrastructure, limited social and community facilities, and a town centre that is in dire need of development. Resource competition would have a negative impact, as it also would on nearby
Kidlington.
541:
Development would destroy the
Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and ancient woodland. The site is almost entirely working farmland with hedgerows and crops that sustain diverse wildlife.
415:
There were to be a large commercial area for offices and industry. No detail of commerce/industry was given in proposals. The environmental and ecological impact of these areas has not been established.
231:
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It was envisaged that the majority of workers in this town would commute either by car, bus or train to work. The commutes would vary from 10 miles (16 km) to 70 miles (110 km)
348:
Detailed plans for the half of the site southeast of the A34 await further ecological study. This area includes the
Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve (Wendlebury Meads) and ancient woodland.
557:' with motorists avoiding the heavily congested A34/A41. The construction of Western Otmoor would further add to the over-use of the rural road network in this area of North Oxfordshire.
535:
By using an entirely greenfield site, the eco-town rule requiring a "net benefit in landscape and bio-diversity" is immediately broken. The proposal is by definition not an eco-town.
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The developers suggest that a completely new town must be built because attempts to improve transport and housing in Oxford have failed, not because they are an impossibility.
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Cherwell
District Council has already planned for 12,000 new houses over the next two decades and these are to be sited to develop and support existing towns.
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828 hectares, 2,046 acres (8.28 km). 84% of this is working farmland. The other 16% is an entirely grass airfield. 250ha is within the Oxford greenbelt
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Unemployment in both
Cherwell District and Oxfordshire is half the national average. New jobs are not needed and would have to be taken from elsewhere.
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The dramatic rise in food prices requires a large increase in agricultural output. " Farmland will be just too important for greenfield development".
514:
The site is on a flood plain and in an area of high "water stress" or shortage. It drains into the River Ray and thence, after 3 km, into the
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An inhabited bridge over the A34 dual carriageway, taking inspiration from
Birmingham and Florence, will be the signature architectural feature.
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on 3 April 2008. Eco-towns were subject to a consultation by the Department of Communities and Local Government ending 30 June 2008.
568:"It may be better to look at the possibility of creating eco-extensions to existing communities, rather than completely new towns."
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is planned to open by 2025 and might provide this route. The funding source for this feature was yet to be determined at the time.
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412:") and allotment gardens for all. This will require a substantial land area and is not visible on the proposal plans.
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Cherwell District Council: Supplemental Consultation on Site Allocations Issues and Options: New and Amended Sites
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Travel to Oxford and Bicester was to be free by train from a new station and improved railway line. The proposed
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25% of the site is within the Oxford greenbelt and much of Weston on the Green is within a conservation area.
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Housing was to be located in a compact, high population density urban core of 220 hectares (540 acres).
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Ontario Power Authority: Methods to Assess the Impacts on the Natural Environment of Generation Options"
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Single point of access into and out of Weston Otmoor linking directly onto the rebuilt A34/M40 junction
603:"Eco-towns: Living a greener future – consultation paper – Housing – Communities and Local Government"
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Small schools were to be located throughout the town and will be a focus of the urban architecture.
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There would be a single point of road traffic entry/exit for the whole town near J9 of the A34/M40.
663:"Royal Town Planning Institute: Increased Car Use Could Damage Ecotowns Environmental Credibility"
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Travel within the town was to be by free tram. Homes were never to be more than 200m from a stop.
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which frequently floods in winter. Increased water run-off will flood the village of Islip and
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Replacement of the A34/M40 junction will ease pressure on these routes and surrounding villages
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The distribution of dwelling types was to provide a greater proportion of affordable housing.
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Other more appropriate sites exist, such as the entirely brownfield RAF Upper Heyford.
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policy is to concentrate development around the county towns, not on working farmland.
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If eco-towns are not created where the jobs and services are, we will create ghettos
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Located 7 miles (11 km) north of Oxford next to Junction 9 of the M40 motorway.
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The eco-town will not have the retail or leisure facilities of a large town such as
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6,000 space rail-based Park & Ride to Oxford, Bicester, Milton Keynes or London
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Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors:Four sites shortlisted to become Eco-Towns
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A proposed combined heat and power (CHP) station in the NW corner of the site.
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New railway station linking Weston Otmoor to Oxford, Milton Keynes and London
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High street with shops, schools, healthcare, leisure and business facilities
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by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the
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617:"Initial Proposals for Weston Otmoor eco-town by Parkridge Holdings"
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Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors:Down with Brown Towns
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The distinguished designer and broadcaster, Kevin McCloud (
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Many small shops so that they are never far from any home.
719:"Eco-towns: Living a greener future – consultation paper"
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There will be a park and ride service from J9 of the M40.
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location of the proposed settlement showing railway lines
283:, England, in countryside to the east of the village of
733:"Weston Otmoor: an eco-town that will destroy ecology"
677:"Leader's blog: standing firm on Weston Otmoor plans"
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An eco-town feature was to be the transport system:
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The prospective developer is Parkridge Holdings UK.
90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
776:"Proposal for Weston Otmoor by Parkridge Holdings"
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852:Proposal for Weston Otmoor by Parkridge Holdings
253:Woodland buffer around the perimeter of the site
287:. It would have been next to Junction 9 of the
747:"The countryside is about to boom - Telegraph"
297:Department of Communities and Local Government
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338:12,000 jobs (Few details have been published)
16:Proposed town in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
842:Communities and Local Government: Eco-towns
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53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
408:There were to be extensive green spaces ("
295:and was one of 15 bids shortlisted by the
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216:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
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702:"Oxfordshire Quarterly Economic Update"
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463:levels of road congestion at the site.
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867:The unofficial Weston Front Campaign
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241:Trams for travel within the eco-town
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88:adding citations to reliable sources
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335:15,000 dwellings (10,000 initially)
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291:and 7 miles (11 km) north of
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847:Parkridge's Weston Otmoor website
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812:"Rics: Eco-towns run ghetto risk"
34:This article has multiple issues.
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826:"Happiness Architecture Beauty"
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749:. 28 April 2008. Archived from
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449:Summary of published criticism
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431:Water management innovation.
234:Latest proposal (2008). Key:
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483:Oxfordshire County Council
467:Inappropriate, unnecessary
454:Unsustainable, unrealistic
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428:Waste disposal innovation.
862:The Weston Otmoor Militia
857:The Weston Front Campaign
649:"Weston Front: Statement"
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181:toward certain viewpoints
501:Impact on existing towns
631:"Parkridge Holdings UK"
399:A "proper" high street.
919:History of Oxfordshire
420:Energy and environment
352:Elimination of the car
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635:parkridgeholdings.com
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561:Sociological aspects
410:green infrastructure
366:It was thought that
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524:RSPB nature reserve
285:Weston-on-the-Green
275:was a proposed new
187:improve the article
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319:Shortlist Proposal
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303:Principal features
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281:Oxfordshire
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878:51°51′43″N
590:References
179:unbalanced
110:newspapers
39:improve it
924:Eco-towns
881:1°12′29″W
191:talk page
45:talk page
368:Prologis
277:eco-town
555:rat run
436:Housing
185:Please
177:may be
124:scholar
580:Oxford
520:Otmoor
471:": -->
404:Layout
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