Nimby accusations against Banbury Town Council and a Grimsbury councillor as fuel company loses fight to move out of town on to 'excellent' farmland

Accusations of Nimbyism have been directed at Banbury Town Council after it supported an application that would take a busy oil depot out of Grimsbury and 'plonk' it in an area of outstanding natural beauty at Hornton.
The current Certas fuel depot on Tramway Estate, Banbury. The company has lost its bid to get planning permission to move the depot to the former Hornton quarry. Picture by GoogleThe current Certas fuel depot on Tramway Estate, Banbury. The company has lost its bid to get planning permission to move the depot to the former Hornton quarry. Picture by Google
The current Certas fuel depot on Tramway Estate, Banbury. The company has lost its bid to get planning permission to move the depot to the former Hornton quarry. Picture by Google

The plan - that would have released a large site in town for regeneration but blighted the lives of villages around the former Hornton quarry - has been thrown out by the Cherwell planning committee by a large majority.

The only support for the plan came from Banbury Town Council. A single councillor abstained from the vote - the representative for Grimsbury in which the Certas Energy Ltd depot is currently situated on the Tramway Estate, close to Banbury Railway Station.

Villagers in Hornton said they believed it was a clear case of Nimbyism.

The entrance to the former quarry which fuel company Certas wanted to use as a new kerosene distribution depotThe entrance to the former quarry which fuel company Certas wanted to use as a new kerosene distribution depot
The entrance to the former quarry which fuel company Certas wanted to use as a new kerosene distribution depot

"They don't want the depot in Banbury but they don't mind if it's dumped in open countryside near us. Everyone realised it was a monstrous thing to move an oil depot out of a built-up commercial location into an area of outstanding natural beauty. The only ones who supported it were those who wanted it out of Banbury. This is 'not in my back yard'," said one, who asked not to be named.

Opponents of the scheme, which included all the neighbouring parish councils, residents of Hornton and the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) said a fuel depot on the site would result in noise, traffic disturbance, light pollution and possibly environmental and water pollution possibly to the water table.

Certas's planning consultant said placing the fuel depot in that location would result in increased employment, very few extra lorry journeys and because of the low level of the site, with screening, it would not pose a visual problem.

Banbury Town Council said in a statement that its support was part of the 'balancing exercise' of a need to find an acceptable alternative site for the Certas business that is currently located in the Canalside development area allocated in the Cherwell Local Plan.

Hornton villagers and councillors said they believed Hornton Grounds quarry was not the right place for Certas to use as a new distribution depot. Picture by GoogleHornton villagers and councillors said they believed Hornton Grounds quarry was not the right place for Certas to use as a new distribution depot. Picture by Google
Hornton villagers and councillors said they believed Hornton Grounds quarry was not the right place for Certas to use as a new distribution depot. Picture by Google

The town council said the fuel depot, due to its size, nature and traffic generation, is incompatible with new residential development and needs to be relocated.

"Failure to find an alternative site will either force the closure of the business or the frustration of an intended redevelopment policy which is a fundamental part of the supply of land for housing and maintaining the future fuel supply to rural areas and the difficulty of finding acceptable alternative sites," it said.

Sir David Gilmore, chairman of Cherwell branch of Campaign for the Protection of Rural England said: "The only people who stand to benefit from plonking a huge depot in our unspoiled countryside are the applicant and the fuel company."

Cllr Chris Heath said: "This canalside development has been on the cards almost since I was first on the council. Surely in this time a site could have been found for this business, knowing it would need to be relocated before any developments take place. I cannot understand why all of a sudden theyc ome out into the countryside and have found the ideal place but haven't had any other places investigated."