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Agenda item

Approval of Regulation 19 Draft Submission Local Plan for Public Consultation

Purpose

For Members to consider the proposed pre-submission draft West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2043 including the timetable for formally publishing the draft plan in accordance with legislative requirements.

 

Recommendation

That Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves to:

1.      Note the report and make any applicable recommendations for the Executive to consider at the meeting on 15 July.

 

 

Minutes:

The purpose of the item was for Members to consider the proposed pre-submission draft West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2043 including the timetable for formally publishing the draft plan in accordance with legislative requirements.

 

The Committee considered the Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan and received a presentation from officers addressing questions submitted in advance of the meeting. Members were advised that the Plan would cover the period 2025 to 2043 and included a spatial strategy, housing and employment allocations, development management policies, area strategies and a delivery and monitoring framework. Subject to approval, the Plan would be published for public consultation before being submitted for examination later in the year.

 

The Executive Member for Planning and Infrastructure thanked officers, the Local Plan Working Group and her predecessor for their work in preparing the Plan and emphasised the importance of the pre-decision scrutiny process undertaken by the committee in identifying any recommendations to be considered by the Executive before consultation commenced.

 

A significant element of the discussion focused on infrastructure delivery and whether supporting infrastructure could realistically be delivered alongside planned growth. Members highlighted concerns regarding the availability of funding, particularly for major transport and utility infrastructure, and questioned the extent to which reliance could be placed on developer contributions. Officers advised that the Plan had adopted an infrastructure-first approach, supported by a forthcoming Infrastructure Delivery Plan, site-specific infrastructure requirements and the use of Grampian conditions where necessary to prevent occupation of development until required infrastructure was available. Members welcomed the stronger emphasis on infrastructure delivery but noted that future investment from utility providers and Government would remain critical.

Members discussed wastewater infrastructure at length, expressing concern about the ability of Thames Water to provide the upgrades necessary to support planned housing growth. Questions were raised regarding capacity constraints at sewage treatment works, the timing of upgrades and the risk of development proceeding ahead of infrastructure improvements. Officers advised that extensive engagement had taken place with Thames Water, supported by a Water Cycle Study, and that policies had been included within the Plan to ensure development aligned with available wastewater infrastructure. Members remained concerned about the uncertainty surrounding future upgrades and emphasised the importance of robust safeguards and monitoring arrangements.

 

The Committee considered housing growth requirements and noted that the proposed housing requirement reflected both West Oxfordshire's assessed needs and a continuing contribution towards Oxford City's unmet housing need. Officers explained the rationale for the stepped housing trajectory, the inclusion of contingency within the overall housing supply and the monitoring arrangements that would be used to track delivery. Discussion took place regarding strategic allocations already progressing through the planning process, the relationship between emerging planning applications and the Local Plan, and the need to retain sufficient flexibility should allocated sites fail to be delivered.

 

Transport and mass rapid transit formed a further area of discussion. Members sought clarification on the purpose and likely form of the safeguarded mass rapid transit corridor and questioned how such infrastructure might be funded and delivered. Officers confirmed that Oxfordshire County Council was undertaking further work on transport options and that the Plan intentionally retained flexibility whilst safeguarding the principle of a future mass rapid transit system. Members also discussed wider transport issues, including the relationship between the A40 corridor and the A4095, active travel infrastructure and the need for transport modelling to reflect local constraints and network bottlenecks.

 

The Committee also examined the Plan's environmental and climate policies. Members noted strengthened policies relating to climate change, biodiversity net gain, green infrastructure, flood risk and protection of the Cotswolds National Landscape. Discussion focused on the effectiveness of biodiversity net gain requirements, the delivery of nature recovery objectives, renewable energy proposals and the balance between climate ambitions and the protection of heritage assets. Members also raised concerns regarding the protection of agricultural land and the need for the Local Plan to better reflect the role of farming, food production and food security within West Oxfordshire's predominantly rural economy. Officers advised that policies protecting best and most versatile agricultural land had been included but agreed to review whether additional emphasis was required.

 

Members discussed several site-specific and policy-specific matters, including sports and recreation provision in Chipping Norton and Carterton, future employment land requirements, the role of community master planning, tourism accommodation, settlement hierarchy classifications and the need to provide clearer explanations of how settlements had been categorised. Clarification was also sought on a number of drafting issues, omissions and technical corrections identified within the draft document.

Throughout the meeting, officers advised that comments identifying factual inaccuracies, drafting changes, inconsistencies or omissions would be considered through an addendum report to be presented to the Executive, whilst broader policy matters could also be raised through the formal consultation process.

 

The report, subject to the recommendations discussed, was proposed, seconded and unanimously endorsed[AB1]  for submission to Council.

 

That Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolved to:

1.              Note the report.

2.              Agree the following recommendations to the Executive:

                              i.                  That consideration is given to ensuring that development does not box in the Witney Sewage Treatment Works (Land South of Witney Strategic Location for Growth).

                             ii.                  That Mass Rapid Transport is defined within the Local Plan as being a fast, high quality, high frequency mode of transport. 

                            iii.                  That the protection of best and most versatile agricultural land is strengthened within the Local Plan.

                            iv.                  That the Local Plan recognises that there is more than one football club in Carterton and is more balanced in giving other sports the same weight and indicators (Land North of Carterton Strategic Location for Growth).

                             v.                  That the Local Plan recognises that there is more than one football club in Carterton and is more balanced in giving other sports the same weight and indicators (Land North of Carterton Strategic Location for Growth).

                            vi.                  That the example of a specific business relocating is removed (Land West of Witney Strategic Location for Growth).

 

 [AB1]The Exec approve it for submission to Council so I think endorsed works better to not blur roles and responsibilities.

Supporting documents:

 

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