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Agenda item

Salt Cross Area Action Plan

Purpose          

To consider the formal adoption of the Salt Cross Area Action Plan (AAP).   

 

Recommendations

The Executive recommends that Council resolves to:

1.    Accept the Inspectors’ recommendations regarding the Main Modifications required to make the AAP sound as set out at Annex A and Annex B;

2.    Agree the incorporation of the additional modifications as set out at Annex C;

3.    Adopt the Salt Cross Area Action Plan (AAP) attached at Annex D as a development plan document, incorporating all of the Main Modifications recommended by the Inspectors at Annex A and Annex B, together with the additional modifications at Annex C, in accordance with Regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012;

4.    Authorise the Head of Planning in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning, prior to the publication of the adopted Salt Cross AAP, to correct any minor spelling, grammatical or typographical errors together with any improvements from a presentational perspective including paragraph and policy numbering;

5.    Note that the adoption of the Salt Cross AAP will supersede certain aspects of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2031 insofar as they relate to Salt Cross with immediate effect, specifically; Figure 3.2 of the AAP updates Figure 9.5e of the Local Plan, AAP Policy 16 supersedes Local Plan Policy T4 in respect of car parking standards and AAP Policy 25 supersedes Local Plan Policy H5 in respect of custom and self-build housing.

Minutes:

Councillor Hugo Ashton, Executive Member for Planning, presented the item, the purpose of which was to consider the formal adoption of the Salt Cross Area Action Plan (AAP).

 

Prior to his presentation, Councillor Ashton expressed his gratitude to all of those involved in bringing the AAP to the adoption stage. Councillor Ashton specifically credited the community of Eynsham, Rights Community Action, West Oxfordshire District Council’s Planning Team and the various consultants involved in the process that included Etude, Currie and Brown, Aspinall Verdi and LUC.  

 

Councillor Ashton then moved onto the main presentation and made the following points:

  • Salt Cross Garden Village was the anchor of the Council’s growth strategy in the current and emerging Local Plans.
  • The adoption of the AAP would allow the promotor to complete the outline planning application and planners to progress to development of the strategic site.
  • Councillor Ashton outlined the timeline that had led to the proposed AAP. The process had begun in 2018. Following an initial round of consultation, the Inspector’s initial report in May 2022 had found the AAP capable of being sound subject to modifications. Rights Community Action had subsequently challenged the Inspector in respect of Policy 2 – Net Zero Carbon. Following this the High Court had quashed the Inspector’s report in respect of Policy 2. The revised Policy 2 put forward by the Council had the been found to be legally compliant, consistent with national policy and capable of being made sound through modifications by a second Inspector, when she published her report which outlined the required Main Modifications in January 2026.
  • Annex A showed the Main Modifications that were required for the AAP to be found sound from the initial Inspectors report, which remained valid (except with regard to Policy 2).
  • Annex B showed the Main Modifications specific to Policy 2.
  • Annexes A and B set out the entirety of the Main Modifications that were needed for the AAP to be found sound and formally adopted.
  • Annex C was a schedule of minor additional modifications.
  • A composite version of the AAP was contained in Annex D.
  • The recommendations were binding on the Council and would be either accepted in whole or not at all.

 

In the discussion Members made the following points:

 

  • Members echoed Councillor Ashton’s gratitude to communities, officers and the consultants involved in the process.
  • The AAP and Salt Cross Garden Village was a project of national significance and would be an exemplar in the district.
  • The Net Zero Carbon Policy was an important aspect of the AAP, and its inclusion was a great achievement.
  • It was hoped the low-density aim of the garden village would be retained.
  • The position of the A40 between Eynsham and Salt Cross remained a challenge and potentially a flaw in the AAP. Integration of the two communities would need further work. Traffic would increase on the A40, Eynsham would be used as a rat-run and the requirements of children to cross this road for school would be dangerous.
  • Previously proposed upgrades to the A40 had been scrapped and it was hoped that with Salt Cross being passed the required upgrades would be brought forward, including the use of the Eynsham Park and Ride which would be important for this site. A transport link from the Park and Ride to the nearby Hanborough Station could be considered.
  • Members noted that the County Council was responsible for improvements to the A40 and the Park and Ride at Eynsham. Members requested that County Council set out timelines for the delivery of these improvements and works.
  • It was noted that the decision for new housing on the site was made under a previous administration.
  • The AAP would contribute to the Council’s housing requirements as imposed by national government.
  • The developer was now required to bring forward detailed plans in line with the AAP.
  • Solar on roofs at the time of building was considered preferable to retrofitting properties and to solar farms on fields.
  • The delay in delivery of the AAP and Salt Cross, which was a major part of the Local Plan, had led to development in other areas of the district.

 

Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, seconded the proposal and reiterated the contribution of the residents of Eynsham to achieving the AAP with the Net Zero Carbon Policy in place. Councillor Graham considered the final AAP to be better than that originally planned and stated that it would deliver sustainable living in the district. Councillor Graham noted that as a rural district the Council would need to support sustainable growth and a holistic approach to this was required to ensure existing communities did not feel marginalised.  

 

The recommendations were put to the vote as follows:

 

For 38, Against 0, Abstentions 0.

 

The Council resolved to:

  1. Accept the Inspectors’ recommendations regarding the Main Modifications required to make the AAP sound as set out at Annex A and Annex B;
  2. Agree the incorporation of the additional modifications as set out at Annex C;
  3. Adopt the Salt Cross Area Action Plan (AAP) attached at Annex D as a development plan document, incorporating all of the Main Modifications recommended by the Inspectors at Annex A and Annex B, together with the additional modifications at Annex C, in accordance with Regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012;
  4. Authorise the Head of Planning in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning, prior to the publication of the adopted Salt Cross AAP, to correct any minor spelling, grammatical or typographical errors together with any improvements from a presentational perspective including paragraph and policy numbering;
  5. Note that the adoption of the Salt Cross AAP will supersede certain aspects of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2031 insofar as they relate to Salt Cross with immediate effect, specifically; Figure 3.2 of the AAP updates Figure 9.5e of the Local Plan, AAP Policy 16 supersedes Local Plan Policy T4 in respect of car parking standards and AAP Policy 25 supersedes Local Plan Policy H5 in respect of custom and self-build housing.

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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