Petition against flats on long-stay car park

The row continues over the controversial decision by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) to build flats on a long-stay carpark which will kill the town, according to locals.

Witney's Woodford Way car park currently allows drivers to park for twelve hours, acting as one of the primary car parks used by workers in the area.

WODC said it plans to downsize it from 250 to around 70 spaces in the next two years to make way for 70 affordable homes.

The council said Witney would still have more than 1,600 parking spaces in the town centre and that recent surveys suggest there is plenty of capacity.

Around 3,000 people have objected to the plans for the one and two-bedroom flats which will be put up for social rent on the council-owned car park.

George Butler lives in Witney and said the plans haven't been thought through: "This car park will be full by half past 9 in the morning, mostly by people who have commuted into work.

"I've lived here for 25 years, all the car parks in Witney, including the ones we've lost are well used by those who work, visit, shop here…the town without them dies."

The Council said that with more than 2,300 households currently on its housing waiting list, the project is needed.

Conservative County Councillor Liam Walker, who is against the plans told BBC Radio Oxford: "I don't think any of us are disputing the need [for housing]…There are thousands of people on the list but most of those are families who won't be moving into these one or two bedroom flats anyway."

Nancy Gleeson works in Fat Face in the town, using the car park daily and said if this car park is built on she might have to consider working elsewhere: "I think this will make it very difficult to find parking.

"It will probably not make it worth it and I would have to think about relocating to a different area."

Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, executive member for environment at WODC, said: "We understand the concerns around parking and have considered carefully the alternatives available within nearby car parks in the town centre.

"The Marriotts Walk car park has plenty of capacity for longer-stay parking, and we are also exploring additional options for residents and key workers, alongside the spaces that will remain on site."

But some people say Marriotts Walk car park won't suffice.

Shelley Hunt works at the town's solicitors Lee Chadwick: "There's not enough parking in Marriotts Walk to accommodate so I don't know where I'll park…I'd end up down side streets."

Katherine Robertson runs Lee Chadwick and said she wants to see more long-stay parking alternatives offered by the council: "There's so few other long term parking spaces, unless there are proposals for another car park to be built within walking distance to the town centre, it is a big issue."