Look and Feel

Members:

  • Convener: Janet Manning
  • John Scott
  • Tom Shebbeare
  • Richard Williams

Next Meeting

No further meetings planned at present

Notes of Previous Meetings:

Vision:

To create a cohesive and coherent look and feel to the overall plan for the village that helps integrate the residents and gives Drayton a real identity.

To Achieve this by:

Create a centre around a new village green that acts as a focal point for village activity and brings together the two distinct halves of the village
To try and use the existing boundaries of the village for infill housing and commercial development to bring people closer together and stop ribbon development
To weave both greenery and the historical background of the village into any new development to retain character and enhance the existing situation
Creating something to give the Village an identity

Detailed Actions:

Create a centre around a new village green that acts as a focal point for village activity and brings together the two distinct halves of the village
The creation of a new village green in the centre of the village opening out onto Abingdon Road with a green avenue of trees opposite tying together the eastern western halves of the village.
To try and use the existing boundaries of the village for infill housing and commercial development to bring people closer together and stop ribbon development
Plan housing development such that it is low density and varied with small developments or groupings of different types of housing, designed to meet the whole community needs.
Promote In-fill housing – not large estates or ribbon development
To weave both greenery and the historical background of the village into any new development and to enhance the existing situation
Incorporate historical influences into new development.
Many of Drayton’s houses were built from bricks made in the village. Promote use of brick in a sympathetic and interesting manner.
The village used to have a large number of orchards of nut trees (Walnut)
Introduce Village Building Code that allows for individualism yet also coherence and incorporate it into Parish Council Development guidelines for example:
  • Red brick buildings with crafted brickwork being used in to create designs.
  • Red or black roof tiles
  • White door & window frame
  • Timber framed structures
  • Porches on houses
  • Gardens (individual & communal)
Ensure all new developments are linked to the village by way of footpath and cycleways and are not cul-de-sacs. Other Suggested Improvements include:
  • Greenery – instigate major tree planting throughout village – including green avenue from Abingdon Road to School
  • Repair and provide hard surface cycle and pedestrian paths throughout village
  • Examine case for reducing signage on roads
  • Make tunnel under A34 more welcoming for visitors to village help link south Drayton.
  • Explore ways of reducing noise from A34
Creating something to give the Village an identity
Create a “feature” from Drayton’s history to give the village an identity. E.g. incorporate a large brick kiln into the design of a new village hall or build one as a separate feature/icon.