The Vale of White Horse approved Botley Baptist Church’s planning application in November 2010, to build a community-centered, people-focussed building to include a coffee shop, several meeting rooms, student housing and of course, the Church.
Following the Vale’s decision to award the redevelopment of the Botley shopping precinct to DORIC in 2012, voices of negativity gathering steam in the community. Some say it represents a minority, other say not.
Members of Botley Baptist Church are of the opinion, a negative agenda does not serve the cause it espouses. Along with many others, several in our membership made a positive contribution to the dialogue with the Vale and latterly MACE who have been awarded the development contract, by participating in meetings and discussion groups, and writing letters to voice their points of view, helping shape a significant development in our lives.
We commend the Editor of The Sprout for publishing a letter from Adam Rankin, which redresses the balance of opinion, making a positive contribution to the dialogue.
Additionally, Ted Beaver (Secretary) wrote to the planning officers at Vale, supporting MACE's planning application which is in keeping with our own hopes and aspirations.