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New Local Plan consultation finally gets green light
05/09/2023
The consultation proposes ideas for how our area will change up to 2040
After a number of delays a consultation on proposals for our area’s new Local Plan is finally set to get underway. A 340 page document with suggestions as to how our area will develop and grow between now and 2040 was approved by Councillors at a meeting of Cherwell’s Executive Committee last night.
The document highlights where growth is proposed and how the district should be supported and developed going forward.
Major new housing and commercial building is mainly focussed at Bicester, but with some being proposed at Banbury.
The proposed plan takes three themes:
- Meeting the challenge of climate change and ensuring sustainable development
- Maintaining and developing a sustainable local economy
- Building healthy and sustainable communities
In the consultation the Council says it wants to encourage the re-use of previously developed land in sustainable locations for development. In Banbury it is proposed the focus is on regenerating more of the canalside area whilst at the same time finding a new home for Banbury United and delivering a new secondary school.
The Council proposes to continue stipulating that all developments which include 10 or more properties will be expected to provide at least 30% as affordable homes. A number of opposition Councillors had called for this figure to be increased to at least 50%, but that did not gain enough support to be recommended in the consultation.
For those living in the villages close to Banbury settlement gaps are proposed to avoid them becoming part of Banbury. However, the plan still requires villages to take their share of 500 new homes, with the largest villages likely to take a large share of this.
For retail it is proposed that further major out-of-centre retail developments are resisted due to the impact on the vitality and viability of town centres like Banbury.
The consultation on the new Draft Local Plan is due to run for six weeks and will start this month.
Councillor Dan Sames, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development, said: “The Local Plan will help shape the future of Cherwell for residents. The policies in the plan will set the framework for new development.
“We want to ensure a sustainable future for the District with any new development in the right place and meeting higher environmental standards. An additional amount of housing is required to meet the anticipated needs of residents, but compared to the 2015 plan the amount is more modest whilst at the same time providing affordable housing for those who cannot access the housing market.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam