Flooding update - The ditches running through the village that Stephen, Jason, Geoff and Michael tackled recently are now flowing well and provided they don’t block at pinch points we are hopeful this will improve our flood protection. The houses that were flooded in September are sadly still drying out so Angela, Keith, Lizzie and family are still not able to move back but hopefully it won’t be long now. Meanwhile John W is leading the way to open up the exit route of water from village ditches down through his wall and garden to the fish keep at foot of our garden. He has taken down a section of damaged wall and is busy undertaking repairs. The next section that was going to be rebuilt eventually has fallen down spontaneously during latest winds – John advises that is was badly bowed and made worse by the flood. He says those that have walls on the village side of old garden should check their walls as they too may be bowed or leaning partly from age and partly from the force of water from
the flood.
On a particularly cold January Rob and Geoff did a very worthwhile but freezing two hour inspection of the village with Carl Stallwood, Highways Consultant for Oxfordshire County Council. He came to advise us and review actions following the floods in September. He praised some of the good stuff we are already doing and made some recommendations which Rob will be following up with individual households. He also mentioned he is working with SODC on the flooding outside Chilworth House School.
Big Birthday - After a rough time this year healthwise, Jane (Hanson) is doing really well and had a lovely celebration of her 80th birthday with family and friends. She is living proof that 80 is the new 60 as she really does not look it!
Sad news from Waterperry – that the Farm Shop is closing /will have closed by the time this newsletter is published. It was a lifeline during lockdown as many of us relied on the deliveries from Lois during Covid. It has also been a popular ‘destination’ for Waterstockians and others to walk to with its lovely selection of foods, nice coffee, toy tractor rides (grandchildren favourite) as well as meat, deli and other produce. We will definitely miss it and thank Lois and her team for all their hard work.
Sheep driving through the village - After around a thirty year break, for the second time in recent months we had the joy of seeing a couple of hundred sheep being herded by some very keen sheepdogs and ‘shepherds’ through the village to their fields. The sheep arrived by truck but the farmer didn’t want to bring a big wagon through the village so they off loaded them at the Ickford end of the lane and herded them up through Stockwell Lane to Richard Hazell’s land.
Final Stages of Public Inquiry into Proposed Developmenton Golf Course - Henry Manisty who has been leading our defence team asked for a big thank you to everyone from near and far that came to support our expert witnesses and speakers. In particular, given the distance fromWaterstock to Cholsey special thanks go to regular attendees like Sara (who managed every day!), Rozzie and Rodney, Carole, Jenny B, Susie and Nick, Johnny P, Talbots, Arthurs, Spencers, John W, Chris Hill and Clark Friend from Tiddington and Paul Earley from Thame.
Henry summarises the final witness sessions of the Inquiry completed in late January:
“There was a strong turnout of golfers and Waterstockians to support Nick Edmondson who made the Parish's case about the damage that would be caused if Waterstock Golf Club were to close. England Golf went first, with a well-argued case against the development, its witness surviving a fierce cross examination from the developer's barrister. Nick then gave a terrific passionate performance, making powerful points, as did Dave Youens, in a moving contribution from the perspective of a disabled golfer. They were followed by an impromptu and highly effective intervention by the Captain of the Waterstock Golf Club's Seniors Team. This was a session that needed to go well and it did. Thanks and congratulations to Nick and all the golfers.
The next session covered more general planning matters in particular, to recent changes to Green Belt policy creating the new Grey Belt concept intended to facilitate development within the Green Belt. Here Michael Tyce, following on from the Council's planning expert, displayed his mastery of the Green Belt agenda and presented a detailed case for why Waterstock's Green Belt protections should remain strong even under the revised planning regime. He again drew attention, to the failure of the developers to demonstrate any need for a Science & Technology Park at Waterstock, when well-established alternatives in the Science Vale and elsewhere, already exist in Oxfordshire. It was an
impressive performance that reduced the developer's barrister to silence. Unexpectedly he decided not to cross examine a clearly disappointed Michael, who was more than ready to face the challenge!
During the proceedings there was a discussion on flooding, during which the developers claimed that flood risk on the development site, based on Environment Agency projections, was low. Fortunately, Edward Dyson was in the audience and, in a spirited intervention , pointed out that his house and others in nearby Draycott had also been assessed at low risk of flooding by the Environment Agency-- and had flooded no less than three times.
There was then a Round Table discussion, chaired by the Inspector, on what Conditions should be imposed on the development if he allows the Appeal. This is work still in progress. The closing speeches of the barristers appearing for SODC, the developer and Waterstock will be heard at the end of January and then we wait for up to two months for the Inspectors Decision.”
