A new future for Chalgrove Airfield
Update from the Homes and Communities Agency
Inside: Involving local people Why is a new community needed? How to get involved
September 2016
Welcome to the first of a series of newsletters from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) which will keep you up-to-date with our ambitions to deliver a new community on part of the Chalgrove Airfield site. Having recently taken ownership from the Ministry of Defence, the HCA wants local people to help shape its plans for the site. HCA’s vision is to create a new community with homes, jobs, schools, local facilities and high quality open space in a way that would open up the land to the public for the first time in more than 50 years. Businesses at the site will remain and the creation of new, high quality jobs will be central to any plans. We want you to join the conversation about this vision for a new community.
Our vision for Chalgrove Airfield Although there are no detailed plans at this stage, the HCA‘s vision for the Chalgrove Airfield site includes: • • • • •
Up to 3,500 new homes, including affordable homes, as part of a thriving mixed development; Employment space for existing and new businesses to invest and grow; Community and leisure facilities, schools and medical centres; Improved and accessible open green spaces and parkland; Better infrastructure, improved public transport and cycle routes.
Once the vision for Chalgrove Airfield is finalised, it will play a crucial role in the preparation of HCA’s planning application for a new community at the site which we will submit to South Oxfordshire District Council by spring next year.
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk | Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield | Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk
Involving Local People You have told us that this is a big change for your village. Since we met local people in July, we have put together a range of ways for people to give us their views and get involved in helping us plan the new community at the Chalgrove Airfield site. Feedback from our July meeting and from other local stakeholders, businesses and parish councils, is already helping to shape our thinking. Regular newsletters and updates to the project website www.chalgroveairfield.gva. co.uk will ensure you stay fully informed.
Why is a new community needed? South Oxfordshire needs many more homes than are currently being built in the District. As the economy continues to grow, demand for housing will intensify. This will make housing even less affordable unless more homes are built and act as a drag on job creation and prosperity. Over the coming decades, the Chalgrove Airfield site could help to address these challenges. That’s why the HCA is looking at how part of the site can be developed in a way that meets the local need for homes and jobs. HCA’s ownership of the Chalgrove Airfield site gives local people much more opportunity to shape what will happen in future than would be the case if the site had been sold to a private developer. David Warburton, HCA head of area, said: “As a responsible land-owner, we are keen that any plans we develop protect existing employment at Chalgrove Airfield and bring new job opportunities. The development of community and leisure facilities and schools also play an important part of our vision for this site. David Warburton HCA head of area
“We are committed to developing a proposal that is shaped by people’s views on what the development should provide at the Airfield site, the existing Chalgrove village and the wider area.”
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk | Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield | Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk
A new future for Chalgrove Airfield How to get involved Our newsletters and the project website will continue to keep you up-to-date with how you can get involved in the discussions about the future of the Chalgrove Airfield site. We’ve also set up a dedicated Facebook page at www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield These will contain updated information about the HCA’s vision for the site, local events and opportunities to find out more. Here are some details about what is already happening, and what you can expect to happen over the coming months.
The Site
September • • • •
Information gathering with parish councils and key stakeholders Site specific investigations Individual workshops with parish councils Newsletter
October • Continued information gathering with parish councils and key stakeholders • Strategic infrastructure corridor workshop event – by invite • Newsletter
November • • • •
Local business workshop 1 November 4-8pm Community Information Exchange – Chalgrove village (venue TBC) Youth Event Newsletter
December • Enquiry by Design Briefing Event – week commencing 5 December (venue TBC)
January 2017 • 5 Day Enquiry by Design 19-23 January 2017 (venue TBC)
Spring 2017 • Submission of planning application by HCA for the new community at the Chalgrove Airfield site
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk | Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield | Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk
Enquiry by Design events planned An important way to ensure your voice is heard is to take part in the Enquiry by Design briefing in December and main event in January. This gives you a great opportunity to be involved in shaping the vision and detailed plans for the Airfield site. We will host this five-day event from 19 to 23 January 2017. Enquiry by Design is a design and planning workshop that is open to all. It will be held in or near Chalgrove, with all interests represented to ensure all views are heard, debated, understood and the outcomes drawn and tested.
Keep in touch: Lead responsibility for the Chalgrove Airfield site rests with David Warburton, Head of Area at the Homes and Communities Agency.
For further information:
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield