Neighbourhood Planning News

HOW Many New Houses? 27 Sep 2014 The Parish Council invites you to get involved in creating a Neighbourhood Plan. The consultation is open until 30 September.

The Parish Council invites you to get involved in creating a Neighbourhood Plan. The consultation is open until 30 September.

West Oxfordshire will have to build about 660 new houses each year. This was the conclusion of the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), which was commissioned by the four Oxfordshire district councils and Oxford City. This is more than double the 306 houses WODC proposed in its draft Local Plan, which is scheduled to be adopted in July next year. WODC has now increased its housing target to 525 - read more; view Parish Council response.

How many of these are likely to be built in Eynsham is still unclear. The draft Local Plan proposes that most development take place in Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton with the rest spread over various rural sub-areas, including a local focus on Eynsham - Long Hanborough - Woodstock.

While local residents cannot stop further development, the 2011 Localism Act does provide for them to have a say on what type of development they have and where it goes if they draw up and adopt a neighbourhood plan. Eynsham Parish and District Councillor Peter Emery says residents are “defenceless” against further development applications without a plan.

THE PARISH COUNCIL has published a guide, explaining what a neighbourhood plan is, what it covers and the various stages to get it approved so it becomes part of West Oxfordshire planning policy. A neighbourhood plan needs to involve the whole parish - residents, businesses, schools and community organizations - so the Parish Council needs your views before it can start the process.

Please send your comments, saying how you would like to get involved if in favour, to Dennis Stukenbroeker, Chair of the Planning Committee, email dennis.stukenbroeker@eynsham-pc.gov.uk

This consultation is open until 30 September.

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