New Road Planning Committee – Residents' Action Update

Planning Committee Meeting: 8 October

Dear neighbours,

A group of concerned Lower Shiplake residents has formed a committee in response to the proposed development on New Road, which is due to be decided at the Planning Committee meeting this Wednesday, 8 October.

While the development may appear to be progressing, it’s important to know that this decision is not final. Thanks to action from local councillors, it has been ‘called in’, meaning the decision now lies with the full committee — and not the planning officer alone.

We believe “approval of this housing development“ risks setting a worrying precedent for future “planning” applications in and around our village. With the 'pony field' and other green spaces potentially next in line, this is a critical moment to show that our community is paying attention and prepared to act.

What we’re doing:

• Coordinating a collective response from residents

• Organising a presence at the committee meeting to demonstrate local opposition

• Planning for one designated speaker to represent resident objections clearly and concisely

How you can help:

• Attend the committee meeting if you can – we’re looking to organise lift shares

• Stay informed – more updates to follow here and via flyers through your door

We understand not everyone uses this site, so printed letters will also be delivered to ensure everyone is kept in the loop. Please do reach out if you’d like to be involved or would like to lift share to the meeting in Abingdon on the 8th.

 Let’s stand together to protect the character and future of our village.

— The New Road Residents Committee

Posted by: Rhiannon Davies | 04/10/2025 3:18 pm

Planning Committee Meeting:
WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 8 OCTOBER 2025 AT 6.00 PM
MEETING ROOM 1, ABBEY HOUSE, ABBEY CLOSE, ABINGDON, OX14 3JE
You can watch this meeting via the council's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTj2pCic8vzucpzIaSWE3UQ

IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET AS MANY RESIDENTS TO ATTEND IN PERSON - PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND OR NEED A LIFT SHARE.

Please include contact details if replying via email as we can't reply to the notification from the website alone. 

Posted by: Rhiannon Davies | 06/10/2025 9:10 am

.......And to confirm I'll be attending as Chairman of Shiplake Parish Council to oppose this plan at SODC's Planning Committee meeting (made up of Councillors from across South Oxfordshire) in Abingdon on the 8th October.  

SODC Councillor Leigh Rawlins is also registered to speak against the planning proposal.

Posted by: Chris Penrose | 05/10/2025 5:12 pm

Dear Residents Action,

I have lived in Shiplake now for fifty five years. My wife, the artist Janet Duncan who died in 2010 painted hundreds of works relating to the river and Shiplake. Many, many years ago I wrote a piece on the tenuous identity of Shiplake. The environment, the little school, the wonderful farmland and its unique hill top church were highlighted.

My concern then was nowhere near as imperative as it is now: Shiplake will lose its now fragile identity, the developments will become housing units of expensive homes sweating in quite small plots, the main road which is extremely dangerous owing to the blind bend and cross road and the massive increase in the need for properly functioning amenities.

The potential development in New Road will entirely change the way traffic will enter and leave the village and introduce a new through route.

As the open spaces in Shiplake which have given the village its character are like the rests in music. The architecture has a chance to breathe: a unity of the living and natural environment. If these developers are allowed to expand housing in all directions at the same time, we will have the ubiquitous ‘Urbs in Rure’.

Clive Duncan FRSS RBA SPS
Station Road
Shiplake.

Posted by: Clive Duncan | 05/10/2025 11:20 am