Controversial Banbury business expansion shelved

Tarmac Trading Ltd has decided to withdraw its application to operate its Banbury plant 24/7, after both public and councillors objected.
TarmacTarmac
Tarmac

Labour councillor Hannah Banfield lead a campaign highlighting residents’ concerns over noise and air pollution the all day working environment would have created.

Last year Tarmac submitted planning applications to increase the working hours at the site located off Hennef Way, to 24-hour working as well as increasing the size of the asphalt plant production, which could have seen an extra 300 lorries a shift driving on Hennef Way.

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Since then Oxfordshire County Councillor for Grimsbury & Castle, Hannah Banfield, has run a campaign opposing the application including writing to 300 local residents, raising awareness about the plans and about air quality on the Hennef Way, which has the most polluted air in Oxfordshire.

Cllr Banfield has also coordinated resident meetings, organised a petition which gained over 320 signatures, campaigned to local press, encouraged people to contact Oxford County Council, and spoke out against the application at the Oxford County Council’s planning committee reviewing the application in April.

At that meeting, OCC planning committee decided to defer Tarmac’s application over concerns about the impact of pollution on neighbours.

In a letter dated October 2, Tarmac Ltd wrote to Cllr Banfield to inform her of its decision to withdraw its application, citing public opinion as a key reason.

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In part it read: “We take local opinion incredibly seriously and combined with a few technical elements needing review, we have decided to withdraw our current applications.”

Cllr Banfield said: “Many thanks to the Labour CDC Councillors for your support on this campaign and to Grimsbury residents who have taken time out of their busy lives to sign the petition, write letters and attend meetings.

"Together we have helped to bring about this positive outcome.

“I also wish to thank Tarmac Trading Ltd for their decision to withdraw their planning applications and for taking into consideration the concerns of my residents.

She added: "I look forward to seeing your new plans in regards of the Banbury Tarmac site.”

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