[imc-oxford-features] Feature PROPOSAL

[hamish]

am just sending this to the list agen as not shore if it whent through - 
riseup is saying its full when it shouldent be...

Hamish xxx

hamish wrote:
> This needs some links, a photo and a bit about the tree occupations 
> adding - then can it go up as a FEATURE on Oxford IMC
> 
> Westgate 'indefinitely postponed'
> 
> The multi-million pound commercial Westgate expansion in Oxford centre, 
> driven by Capital Shopping, has been 'indefinitely postponed', due to 
> the credit crunch. This would not have happened had the developers not 
> been so greedy and complacent that they added into their proposal a 
> stretch of land known as Abbey Place housing; 14 housing units for 
> vulnerable and sometimes extremely disabled residents. Capital Shopping 
> tried, with the backing of most of Oxford City Council, to evict and 
> demolish these houses. It did not turn out as easy as they had hoped, 
> and a High Court challenge led to Public Inquiry into the proposal to 
> compulsorily purchase and evict those of the houses that are privately 
> owned. A delay of 6 months ensued, during which the economic climate 
> changed enough to force Capital Shopping to put their plans on 
> indefinite hold.
> 
> Now the land lies semi-desolate, with mature trees having been cut down, 
> and the crumbling multi-storey car park still attracting drivers into 
> Oxford's already congested and polluted centre. But the residents of 
> Abbey Place are still in thier homes, and are now hoping that the City 
> Council will at last make the repairs to their homes that have been 
> outstanding during the past year.
> 
> However the planning permission for the site is now almost 2 years old. 
> In another year it will have run its course, and the developers will 
> have to re-apply if they want to develop the land according to their brief.
> 
> The battle is not yet over therefore, but only postponed for the time 
> being.
> 
> PS. we still need a feture on the EOCC aressets (:
> 
>