After a long battle, developers McCarthy & Stone are to be granted planning permission for a sheltered housing development in Swan Lane, Faringdon. After several months of wrangling at the Vale of White Horse District, the development control committee finally voted in favour of the development at last night’s meeting (16th August). The issue of contention was the lack of parking provided on site, and serious local concerns that the development will add to the already poor parking situation in Faringdon town centre. An independent report was commissioned by the Vale to look into the parking provision. The conclusion of this report did not rule out an overspill from the development into the surrounding streets, but claimed that there was adequate capacity. Faringdon Councillor, Matthew Barber, who is a member of the Vale Development Control committee said “It is simple not true to claim that there is adequate parking in Church Street and the surrounding area.” He also raised grave concerns that, “the Vale seems incapable to taking the necessary enforcement action to protect out local communities.” The development on site has been underway for some time now, but the Liberal Democrat controlled Vale Council has refused to take action to stop the work. Conservative members of the committee fought the proposals by voting against the development last night. A members of the Liberal Democrat Executive dismissed Faringdon Town Council’s own report on parking to be irrelevant. Councillor Barber pledged, “We will not let this issue drop. Parking is a huge problem for Faringdon and the rest of the Vale, we cannot allow the Liberal Democrats to turn a blind eye to the problem.”