Residents feedback and update on local projects discussed at Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board
Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board members are meeting on Monday 25 January to find out how the first Residents Sounding Board meeting went and to hear the latest on planned improvements for the town.
The Residents Sounding Board is one of three groups set up by Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils to collate direct feedback to the advisory board on important topics for residents living and working within Didcot and the wider garden town area.
The other two sounding boards are the Parish Sounding Board and the Business Sounding Board. The Parish Sounding Board, which is made up of the 18 neighbouring parish councils surrounding the garden town, met in September 2020 and has already given feedback to the board. The Business Sounding Board’s first meeting is set to take place next month and will also provide valuable feedback on how the garden town can help to support local enterprise. Each sounding board will take place twice a year and will focus on specific topics to provide useful information to upcoming advisory board meetings.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chair of the Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board, said: “We’re delighted that so many residents took the time to attend the first Residents Sounding Board meeting. The views and local expertise from people living in and around Didcot is very central to giving us a better understanding on how we can help shape the garden town plans and projects.”
The advisory board will also be given an update on various local projects, including three properties on Broadway that South Oxfordshire District Council owns.
South Oxfordshire District Council has been drawing up plans to develop options to regenerate its landownerships at the Broadway. It is hoped that 116 and 118 Broadway, which were originally closed due to health and safety reasons, will be demolished this year to enable redevelopment of the site, whilst 120 Broadway is to be refurbished, before being put back into use.
Cllr Sue Cooper, Leader of South Oxfordshire and member of the Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board, said: “These three properties need attention and are an important part of our plans to help redevelop the town and encourage more people to visit the Broadway while shopping in town. The redevelopment is at an early stage and once we have looked further into all the options, we will be engaging with the local community and sounding boards on our proposals.”
Additional updates for the advisory board will include the impact on funding for the garden town, following a Community Infrastructure Levy spending review and an overview on the new community facilities at Great Western Park.
Anyone can join the Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board meeting, taking place online on Monday 25 January at 10.30am-12.30pm via https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/didcot-garden-town-latest-news/
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Extra information:
The Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board members are made up of representatives from Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils, Oxfordshire County Council, Didcot Town Council, Homes England and the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
