The row over Witney ending up “like Abingdon” sounds slightly trivial, but there’s a serious issue behind it.

With thousands of new homes needed in the county over the next few years, it’s understandable that people in our towns are concerned about the impact on the identity of where they live as well as the obvious issues, such as extra traffic and demand on schools and services.

But rather than squabbling over whose town is nicer, it needs a joined-up approach.

We need to look at the impact on the county as a whole and work together to make sure the much-needed new homes are built in the best possible places, for everyone.

Our top stories

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.