Councils’ plan moves a step forward
New plans that raise standards for housing and other types of development are a step closer following council meetings this week.
Council members at Vale of White Horse District and South Oxfordshire District councils gave the go ahead for the districts’ draft Joint Local Plan to be published for comment for a six-week period and then submitted for independent examination by a Planning Inspector.
The draft plan has been developed between the two councils to help meet local community future need for housing, jobs and infrastructure, and will replace the districts’ current adopted plans.
The councils have identified that there are enough new homes in the pipeline already, with no need to build on any extra new greenfield sites over the next 15 years. Only one area of expansion has been earmarked, which is on the brownfield land owned by the Ministry of Defence at Dalton Barracks near Abingdon.
Crucially, the plan also sets out new firmer environment policies so that development is net zero carbon and delivers twice the national level of biodiversity net gain to help with the recovery of nature.
There are also new policies and maps identifying parts of the districts which are valued landscapes or have dark skies or are especially prized for their tranquillity. To help more people who need an affordable home, the proportion of affordable housing on large sites will also go up from 35% to 40% in Vale of White Horse and from 40% to 50% in South Oxfordshire, without increasing the total number of homes being built.
Council officers have been working hard to get the plan just right using the feedback received during two hugely positive consultations the councils ran during its development. The plan is at a very advanced stage of its development and is another step closer to being submitted for examination, earlier than anticipated.
Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “I’m proud at how far we have come. This is a new and groundbreaking plan for the future. This plan has been the product of joint working and shows the benefits of a collaborative effort between our two districts.”
Councillor Andy Foulsham, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet Member for Policy and Programmes, added: “I’m delighted and excited by our Joint Local Plan. The plan is the biggest influence on the future of our district. I’d also like to thank all those involved in getting us to this stage.”
Councillor Anne-Marie Simpson, South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “This is an ambitious and innovative plan with robust policies that will help us to tackle the climate emergency and deliver sustainable infrastructure and the right homes where and when our communities need them.
“As many of my colleagues said at our Council meeting (on September 19), this is a game-changing plan and we’re leading the way for other councils.
“We’ve carried out innovative and widespread public engagement throughout the plan’s development and we’re so grateful for the countless responses we received, giving us strong and positive feedback, helping us create a plan suitable for the whole district.
Councillor David Rouane, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, added: “We’re very proud of this plan, not least because it will help us protect and restore nature with ambitious biodiversity net gain requirements – but it’s not just aspiration, we’ve done the hard yards of gathering the evidence that this is achievable and viable.
“It’s also taking an evidence-based approach to housing need – it recognises that people need a place to live, but it focuses on affordability and sustainability.”
From October 1, there will be a 6-week opportunity to comment on whether the plan meets all the relevant requirements to ensure it is sound and legally compliant – please note this is a very technical and formal process.
People can check the councils’ Joint Local Plan webpage for updates or sign up for planning notifications.
The draft Joint Local Plan is available to read on the councils’ meeting pages.
You can also listen to the audio of the meetings.
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