We've seen on one hand plans to review Green Belt land with the aim of developing it, and on the other hand a report that plans for 270 new homes in Littlemore.

These had been turned down by the city council planning committee due to lack of transport links – but the decision has now been called in and will be discussed by the city’s planning review committee on Wednesday.

Oxford’s Traffic can only get worse if Oxford’s Green Belt is developed, precisely because bus and transport sustainable links will almost certainly never be good enough to prevent the residents of those areas wanting to drive around Oxford by car.

We will all suffer with worse traffic if the city sprawls out into the Green Belt, as well as the loss of open space.

However, if new development takes place within and close to the ring road then the residents can cycle and it will be easier for other sustainable transport links such as regular buses to be provided.

South Oxfordshire District Council is right to say Green Belt is Green Belt, and developing there should be the last resort. It was put there to benefit city dwellers and retain open space close to cities.

Bob Price and Oxford City Council should be coming up with creative ideas for new housing using brownfield sites within the ring road, and the council should be taking responsibility for providing properly sustainable transport.

They should start with working out what to do so that the development is sustainable in Littlemore. Why would development further out in the Green Belt be more likely to have sustainable transport links than Littlemore?

CLARE WRIGHT
Kingston Road, Oxford