PLANS to provide a bus shuttle service to a proposed water park resort near Bicester has been described as showing ‘no commitment’.

The planning appeal hearing for the resort - which was refused by Cherwell District Council last year - has begun.

ALSO READ: Campaigners raise thousands as Great Wolf Lodge appeal hearing looms

The multi-million pound project put forward by US firm Great Wolf Resorts (GWR) includes a 498-room hotel and would sit on an18.6-hectare site in Chesterton, near Bicester.

Bicester Advertiser:

Its appeal hearing, which is live-streamed on Youtube, started on Tuesday with George Baird appointed as the inspector in the case.

Sacha White QC represents the 34 parish councils who oppose the resort, Douglas Edwards QC represents Cherwell District Council and James Strachan QC represents the appellant GWR.

One of the main problems residents have about the plan is that it may cause an influx of vehicles ‘rat-running’ through Chesterton’s country roads. Objectors said this would ‘decimate’ the village.

GWR said it would encourage visitors to take different routes and adopted a shuttle bus and public bus service from Bicester to the site into its plans.

But yesterday, Rupert Lyons on Highways gave his evidence, saying it was unlikely that families would travel to the resort by public transport.

He broke down the costs of a family of four travelling to the site from Nottingham.

He said that based on the average price of a litre of petrol costing 122.2p, a return trip would cost £26.10 and take one hour and 46 minutes.

But if they were to travel by train and use the proposed resort shuttle bus or public bus, it would cost them £161.70 and take three hours and 36 minutes.

Bicester Advertiser: The Great Wolf Lodge planning appeal hearing started on Tuesday and is live streamed on YouTube at 10am.

This journey is more than twice as long and costs just over six times as much as the trip by car.

Mr Lyons said: “In terms of a genuine choice, that’s not one. It’s not attractive for a family of four coming to the build proposal to travel by rail and bus - it’s too expensive and it takes too long.”

He also described the apellant’s details about the shuttle bus service in the section 106 draft as ‘really vague’, showing ‘no commitment’.

WATCH: Video of what the massive resort could look like

He added: “We have to be able to rely on what is being said and written in the evidence and if we are to rely on that, I don’t understand why that’s not being secured within the section 106 obligation.”

The hearing continues.

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