As the long-standing chairman for the East Area Planning Committee, I would expect Labour Oxford City Councillor Roy Darke to listen to our Independent Marston Councillor Mick Haines for highlighting concerns that we all understand – and seek to solve – rather than criticise Mick (December 16, 2014).

Labour’s city council has sold their own land not to build council housing [which Roy salutes in his letter] but to high profiteering private development or excessive unnecessary student accommodation, which equals overdevelopment in Marston.

It’s too late for Roy to liaise with Thames Water now. This should have been in place when considering each build and its effect on our neighbourhood. Conditions can be put in place to install underground pipework before building starts. This ensures developers are made accountable, services are connected and functioning effectively.

When building the JR extension we paid for unwanted soil from the development to spread at Court Place Farm. This blocks the natural gravel drainage and insufficient underground pipework from the JR has meant flash flooding occurs in Northway.

Today’s letters

Why should locals praise ‘Barton Park’? It is a private development who you gave permission to provide less affordable housing than they should. The development will severely increase traffic and sewerage problems our way.

Thames Water have already admitted that the sewerage storage tanks installed at Croft Road Park and Court Place Farm are not adequate. There are no plans to improve these inferior provisions, but claim Barton Park’s installation will be better.

Elaine Bennett Marston Road Oxford

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