Welcome
to the
Great Western Park
Residents’ Association
Meeting – Wednesday 7th June 2017
Next meeting Wednesday 5th July 2017
Please place mobile phones to silent or switch off, thanks
www.gwpra.org.uk
Facebook Group ‘Great Western Park Residents’ Association’
Agenda
Item Agenda Item
1
Apologies for absence
• New Community Chaplain introduction – Sarah Ifill
2
Minutes of previous meeting
3
Election of Vice Chair – David Brignall
4
Presentation for former Chairman and GWPRA Founder - John Boden
5
Meeting with the Land Trust Executives – 22nd May 2017
6
Correspondence 
• Speeding/Dog Walking - Taylor Wimpey- Rebecca Bowker
• Housing Documentary - Blast! Films – Claire Cahill
• Doctors Surgery – SODC – Luci Mori
7
Planning Applications 
• Pharmacy (poll)
• Northern Allotments (poll)
• Nursery Site
• Erection of District Community Centre
• Southern Neighbourhood Park
Agenda continued…
Item Agenda Item
8
Community Parking Watch 
• Scoping study
9
Speeding Concerns (poll)
10
Outreach Project
• Equipment hire for events proposal
• Community Defibrillator Phase One Ceremony
11
AOB
12
Close meeting – date of next meeting: Wednesday 5th July 2017
1. Apologies for Absence
Paula Walters : Treasurer
Introducing the New GWP Community Chaplain
Sarah Ifill
2. Minutes of previous meeting
All agree minutes from the Meeting on Thursday
4th May 2017 reflect a true and accurate account
of the meeting
3. Election of Vice Chairperson
Immediately following last month’s AGM, David BIGNALL
volunteered for the role of Vice Chairperson
• Agreement of his position
4. Presentation for former Chairman
John BODEN
• May 2012, GWPRA’s Founding Chairman
• Expanded and grew the RA’s credibility
• Devoted a great deal to represent the Community
• Performed the role of Vice Chair
• Stepped in to cover the Chair role
• Continued Contributions from outside the Committee
5. Meeting with the Land Trust Executives
 Meeting held on 22nd May 2017, The Vicarage
 Present, Mark BODEKER – GWP Community Church; Gareth CLARKE –
GWPRA; Chief Exec (Euan Hall) and Chair (Peter Smith), Jonathan
DUCKER & Trustees from the Land Trust
 Presented the GWPRA and Community Church to the Land Trust
 Detailed the community centres project
 Agreed that the organisations can work together to benefit the
community
6. Correspondence 
o 6.1 – Speeding/Dog Walking - Rebecca Bowker (Taylor Wimpey)
o Following a Resident’s complaint on Facebook, Rebecca that a
warning of speeding will be given to their contractors and
developers. -success
o TW are in the process of ensuring speed limit signs across GWP
are correct and enforceable.
o No plans have ever shown an area specifically set aside for dogs.
o The leisure route that runs along the western boundary of GWP is
a very large space, suitable for dog owners.
6. Correspondence continued..
o 6.2 - Housing Documentary - Blast! Films – Claire Cahill
o Two documentaries about new developments and housing in
Oxfordshire for BBC2 to be aired next year
o Filming over the Summer and into next year, previously worked on
productions like ‘999 What is Your Emergency?’
o Interested in GWP and developments in Bicester in Banbury and
how a community is formed from a new build estate and relating
to the Housing Crisis.
o Provisionally invited them to upcoming events and offered
support
6. Correspondence continued..
o 6.3 - Doctors Surgery – SODC – Luci Mori
o Email on 11th May in response to a planning question.
o The corner site next to the District Centre Shops was agreed in the
s.106 for a 4 GP practice but nothing has been formalised with the
Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) or NHS yet in spite of
efforts by District Councils.
o Since 2008, the OCCG has changed their strategy concerning GP
surgeries and has also reassessed the GP needs for the Didcot area.
This means that they are now looking for a larger GP practice.
o SODC have met the OCCG, NHS and County Council 2-3 times in the
past 6 months to discuss health planning
o Looking at enlarging the facility planned for GWP, further meeting in
June 2017
7. Planning Applications 
SHA/18611 – DAY LEWIS PLC – APPLICATION FOR INCLUSION IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL
LIST OFFERING UNFORESEEN BENEFITS WITHIN THE PROPOSED RETAIL UNITS,
APPROXIMATELY 100-200M NORTH OF THE NEW UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE,
GREENWOOD WAY, HARWELL, DIDCOT, OX11
The NHS Appeal Unit have decided they will hold an Oral Hearing to decide the case and
the provisional date for the hearing is Wednesday 14th June 2017.
In response to the Great Western Park Residents’ Association Facebook Group poll,
“Are you in favour of a Pharmacy being situated in the District Shopping
Centre, GWP?”
107 Residents responded, “Yes please, local access to this is important”
11 Residents responded, “No thanks, I'm happy to travel to others within Didcot
Town.”
This equates to 91% being in favour, which is an overwhelming majority. It also
attracted 9 Likes and 26 Comments. Most comments related to further emphasising
the need for a pharmacy and also requesting NHS Doctors to compliment and meet
the local demand.
7. Planning Applications 
Planning application for the Northern Neighbourhood allotments - P17/V0244/RM
a. The applicants should be asked to provide a layman’s overview of the proposal, including
an artistic drawing to assist the community in making comment.
b. It is noted that the consultation period ended on 22nd March 2017, yet there have been
amendments 25th April 2017, when is the new expiry date? Ideally it will be one week
after the next Residents’ Meeting (14th June 2017).
c. Twenty 20m x 12.5m allotments that are the standard area, dating back from Anglo Saxon
times (250m2) Only 20 allotments to cater for over a thousand households seems very
inadequate. Have there been consideration to halving the size to 125m2. This also makes
them a more manageable size, given most people seem to have less free time in modern
times. In the GWPRA Facebook Poll, 97% in Favour of Reduced size allotments.
d. 20 carpark spaces, one for each allotment is very adequate, there would be an aspiration
that owners would walk from their nearby homes, if possible.
e. Composting area and water provision both harvested rainwater and mains is good.
f. A significant number of new trees will be planted to surround the site, which appears
positive. Is there consideration to making a walking trail through this area, outside the
allotment fence boundary? There are many complaints about the lack of dog/family
walking areas on the development.
7. Planning Applications 
Planning application for the Northern Neighbourhood allotments - P17/V0244/RM
g. Could consideration be given to planting Fruit trees, literally complying with the Garden
Town idea, food source to encourage bees and providing whole community focus to the
area.
h. Didcot Town Council currently hold the allocation list, the allotments are just over the
Border in Harwell Parish Council area. This is a long way from housing in HPC and
extremely far from Harwell Village.
i. Given the complex administration boarder situation on GWP, who will be running and
managing this, will it be part of the Land Trust open space management plan?
j. Will this be a statutory, as protected by the Allotments Acts or temporary allotment site?
k. Are there plans for Taylor Wimpey to arrange for soil improvements of the allotment
areas, the soil in this area is of very poor quality (clay) and is likely to be contaminated by
build rubble from the previous waste pump installation?
l. Would the gated area be specified to a sufficiently high level to prevent illegal traveller
encampments, as this area with water access would be a prime target?
7. Planning Applications 
Planning Application for Nursery Site District Neighbourhood Centre GWP - P17/V0762/RM
The application made by agent on behalf of Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd, a large
national childcare provider already with some local nurseries in operation in the local area.
a. The GWPRA were notified on 12/05/2017 but the submission for comment deadline is
04/05/2017, presumably this has been extended.
b. There is currently a very high demand for pre-school childcare on GWP. This is definitely a
feature of a new estate with more affordable housing for the area.
c. The occupants of the flats overlooking the play area should be subject to vetting (DBS), to
ensure no unsuitable persons are housed there.
d. The 17 Parking spaces maybe limited, given the number of nursery and pre school
children proposed to be present. (33 Babies, 32 Toddlers & 32 Pre-School plus staff) Are
there plans for a dedicated drop off zone? Would there be bans on parents using the
carpark as is common? Would it be possible to make a shared parking scheme with the
community centre and nursery, since their peak times are likely to be opposing?
Oxfordshire Highways are also concerned about the Travel Plan, particularly the impact on
Cherry Tree Road.
e. There are no traffic calmed pedestrian crossings shown close to the Nursery, to enable
safe passage across the spine road for the most vulnerable road users.
7. Planning Applications 
Erection of District Centre Community Building, car parking, access, landscaping and associated
infrastructure. - P17/V0845/RM
a. There is a concern about the quantity of parking, GWP is currently attracting lots of
outside visitors to the facilities as well as locals.
b. The provision of the Crèche/Nursery is needed at GWP currently but there must be
consideration for a fall in demand when GWP matures and it’s siting right next to a
purpose built Nursery and close to the GEMS school with pre-school provision. Perhaps
planning should allow this to become an indoor and outdoor soft play centre which would
compliment the café.
c. There is no consideration for solar panels to benefit environment and reduce long term
running costs.
d. The quantity of group storage areas seems insufficient; given this is a major issue of the
NNCC.
e. A worry that the acoustic design has not been specified to reduce echo, again an issue
previously with NNCC and BPP.
f. The provision of the community Police Room is well received, although there should be no
expectation that TVP will contribute to this financially.
7. Planning Applications 
Erection of District Centre Community Building, car parking, access, landscaping and associated
infrastructure. - P17/V0845/RM
g. The two 6m2 interview rooms are probably too small to be practical and would be better
as another single 12m2 room. Most modern houses on GWP don’t have very large rooms,
so people are keen for access to areas, larger than available at home.
h. The lack of coherent integration/differentiation of the facilities with the other providers
such as Boundary Park Pavilion, the other Community Centres and Schools. This can be
addressed with some community planning and funds available for fitting out the facility.
There is less merit in buildings all with similar sized empty rooms. The GWPRA has setup a
dedicated project to assist with coherent integration and management of the community
facilities on GWP.
7. Planning Applications 
Planning Application Southern Neighbourhood Park (Area T) P17/S1347/RM
a. The northern portion has a road running through it; there must be provision for additional
fencing and a pedestrian crossing and serious traffic calming bumps on this road. This is to
better protect Children and Animals from the road traffic danger which will be present.
b. The Southern Play area is well fenced from the spine road. Consideration should be given
to protecting the Southern Exit gate with an additional fence section, preventing
pedestrians or cyclists exiting the gate, straight into the road, unless this was to be
opposite a dedicated pedestrian crossing with hard traffic calming.
c. The area either side of the embankment slide should be also covered with bonded rubber
mulch. The one at the Northern Play Park doesn’t and this has become a mud hazard for
children and adults assisting children on the slide.
d. The play galleon seems a good idea and perhaps the whole park could be a nautical
theme. Maybe the applicant could consult with the South and Vale Arts officers to provide
additional resources and advice.
8. Community Parking Watch 
Problems related to dangerous or antisocial parking have long been reported and continued
to be discussed at the Residents Association. Over the course of 2016, plans where started to
introduce a Community Parking Watch Scheme, operating in a similar manner to Community
Speed Watch Schemes. As a precursor to investing in the scheme a survey of the current
parking situation will be undertaken.
Aims:
 Establish if dangerous or antisocial parking is occurring.
 Establish a baseline position for the size and nature of any parking problem.
 Highlight problem areas.
 Provide evidence to take forward in future discussions with relevant parties.
 Provide guidance as to the direction to take the Watch Scheme.
Method:
 GWP split into 6 sections, surveyed at 3 different times.
 The type of parking error and location recorded.
 Volunteers?
9. Speeding Concerns on GWP
Following the death of a pet, a crash and countless reports of near misses and extreme
speeders on the GWP roads. The GWPRA had already started a project looking into the
Community Road Safety but was keen to find out more on the consensus.
To quantify the community concern, a Poll was conducted in May/June 2017:
The GWPRA Facebook poll asked, “Do you feel the Roads on GWP are adequately
safe for all users?”
115 GWP Residents Responded with, “No, I have concerns that the roads are not
as safe as they should be.”
A further 17 Residents responded, “Yes, I feel the roads are perfectly safe as they
are without additional measures.”
This represents a very considerable, 87% of Residents having safety
concerns over the current safety of the roads on GWP.
10. Outreach Project
Event Equipment Hire Proposal




Fun for community events
Income for the GWPRA
Loan to NFP Partners (self funded)
Decal Logos to publicise GWPRA
Opening Ceremony for Phase 1 Defibrillator
project
 Boundary Park to host July 2017?
 Invite supporters, media and Residents
11. Any Other Business
Acoustic tiles and
shed conversion
completed at
NNCC.
Location on BPP Selected,
quote for qualified installation
following this meeting.
11. Any Other Business
Stepnell Construction Site Visit 27th May 2017
Great Western Park
Residents’ Association
Today’s meeting now concluded
Next meeting Wednesday 5th July 2017
www.gwpra.org.uk
Facebook Group ‘Great Western Park Residents’ Association’