Local residents and other stakeholders will be able to have their say on the future of development in Cherwell District when a key document goes out for consultation next month.
The Cherwell Local Plan 2040 will set out the vision, objectives, and strategy for development in Cherwell up to 2040.
It is currently in draft form, and people will be invited to have their say during a consultation starting on Friday, 03 February, and running until 17 March (provisional dates).
Councillor Colin Clarke, Portfolio Holder for Planning at Cherwell District Council, said: “The Local Plan is a key strategic document that sets our vision for how new homes, places of employment and supporting infrastructure will be developed in the coming years.
“There will be a need to bring forward some further housing as the district grows, but we already have sites in our pipeline, and it is important that any additional supply is only for the right homes in the right places.
“That means making sure housing is supported by the right infrastructure and that the defining rural character of our north Oxfordshire villages is protected.
“The plan proposes to provide for 29,559 homes up to 2040, of which around 20,654 are already planned for.
“The Plan also focusses on a number of key themes which reflect our placemaking ambitions for our residents and environmental objectives: meeting the challenge of climate change, a sustainable local economy, and healthy communities.”
Bicester will continue to be the primary location for new developments, with the council reaffirming its commitment to deliver a sustainable Garden Town to include active travel routes and green infrastructure as the town grows.
Banbury will also see some continued growth, albeit at a reduced rate compared to the 2015 Plan.
Kidlington and its immediate area will also be a focus, meeting the council’s commitment to take its share of Oxford’s unmet housing need.
The growth of Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington will be assisted by the creation of individual masterplan documents as the council seeks to support the sustainability and vitality of the district’s urban centres.
The new Local Plan seeks to review and, where necessary, update and replace policies and proposals in the remaining part of the 1996 Local Plan, the adopted Local Plan (2015) and the Partial Review of the Local Plan (2020).
The draft Local Plan will be presented for approval for consultation at a special executive meeting on Monday, 19 January.
When the consultation period starts on Friday, 03 February, people can comment on the draft plan. There will also be a series of exhibitions, parish workshops, and webinars.
Dates for these events and details of how to participate will be announced in the coming weeks.
