Faringdon Folly: Concern grows over plans for more homesOpposition is growing to plans to build an additional 400 homes in Faringdon on the old nursery and cricket ground area, as concern is being raised over insufficient public consultation over the Local Plan process. Both Faringdon Town Council and the Faringdon Chamber of Commerce have driven the proposals which aim to boost the town's economy by increasing the number of jobs and homes in the area. Tuckers Road resident Stewart McIntosh told the Folly that he had discuessed his concerns with Councillor Alan Hickmore, chairman of the Town Council planning and highways committee which backed the proposal. "His stance was very much that he fully supported this initiative and irrespective of our concerns he will be supporting this plan at the next stage. "This proposed development has massive implications on the whole town and not just the surrounding area," said Mr McIntosh. "Mr Hickmore stated that when the original first draft plan was presented there were no objections. What has not been clearly communicated is that the massive changes made at the second draft phase, do indeed raise many objections. The main objection being that between the two planning phases, the proposed development has grown from some 60 houses to 400, an increase of over 500%. "We as residents must ensure that the many questions that this size of development raises, will be honestly and thoroughly investigated and answered before it's too late, as it would appear to the people I have discussed it with, that this comes as a very "covert" way of pushing through a plan that raises many issues for the whole of Faringdon." Cllr Matthew Barber said: "Efforts were made to inform local residents and to consult with them on the proposals, but these have clearly been inadequate. Local residents were angry after a meeting with the Town Council's Planning and Highways committee chairman as they felt they were being marginalised. I originally supported these proposals, and I still see merit in the expansion of the Town, but we cannot afford to ignore the concerns of local residents."