The responsible authority for local planning is West Oxfordshire District Council. You can track current / recent applications via the WODC Planning Search - select Eynsham from the drop-down list of parishes - or sign up for email alerts and be in the know.
The Parish Council responds to large-scale proposals that may affect the village as a whole, such as affordable housing, flood management and gravel extraction - see below. You can generally follow updates and progress via our news page. Confused by the jargon? See our 'Jargon Buster' page to help you understand it all.
Stewardship
What do we mean by stewardship?
Stewardship is the managing of community assets across the long term, so things like community buildings and facilities, green and open spaces, heritage assets, parks and play areas. Some of the things that organisations doing stewardship also get involved in include ecological management, community development and enabling local economic development.
What kind of organizations do stewardship?
When it comes to community involvement in the stewardship, it can vary from quite hands-off approaches with little resident involvement to very involved, community-run approaches in which local people play a leading role.
Management companies are often the default approach pursued by developers. These are companies set up to manage assets (land, property, or facilities) as part of a development. Membership and ownership of the companies can be extended to residents, who become members or shareholders. However, management companies sometimes do not effectively involve the community.
Community-centred stewardship of assets is commonly undertaken by not-for-profit, community membership organisations. The main underpinning ethos is community involvement and a commitment to managing assets in line with what residents want. The aims of the organisation will have been agreed via community consultation and will be underpinned by a range of social, economic, and environmental objectives.
Types of not-for profit community organisations that commonly do stewardship include community land trusts, development trusts, community interest companies, and industrial and provident societies/ cooperative societies. The Council has no fixed ideas on the most suitable stewardship model at the current time.
Why is the Parish Council interested in stewardship?
New community facilities, green spaces and open spaces, woodland etc. are coming Eynsham’s way with the Salt Cross and West Eynsham developments. The Council is actively investigating how these assets can be managed in the best interests of residents both existing and new. We want to ensure that local needs are aspirations are front and centre.
We are currently undertaking a Stewardship survey for Eynsham residents ('Do Eynsham residents support Stewardship of community assets in West Eynsham Strategic Development Area and Salt Cross Garden Village?'). Closing date for responses is 5.00pm on Friday 30th June. Please click here to be taken to SurveyMonkey to complete the survey.
An excellent guide to long term stewardship is: Town and Country Planning Association: The Heart of the Matter: emerging lessons in long-term stewardship
Other resources and examples of stewardship are available at:-
Building a Community at Chilmington Green development. (ashford.gov.uk)
The Parks Trust - About Us - YouTube
Oxfordshire County Council - HIF2 A40 Smart Corridor
This is consultation is currently not part of a live planning application. Closing dated 10 June 2021. The Council's response can be found here.
West Eynsham Strategic Development Area (SDA) & Chilbrook Meadows
UPDATE - 20/03379/OUT - Land West of Derrymerrye Farm, Old Witney Road - Outline planning application (with all matters reserved except for access) for residential development together with open space, landscaping, parking and all associated infrastructure and engineering works.
The link for this application can be found here. An extension in the deadline to respond was requested, however only a few days was approved. The Council's response is available here.
Curtin & Co held an online public consultation on Friday 5 June 2020 for Jansons Property’s vision for the West Eynsham SDA along with plans for around 160 homes as a first phase at Chilbrook Meadows. A planning application is anticipated to be submitted towards the end of this summer. If you haven't responded to the consultation, its not too late. The recording of the public meeting can be found here or visit their website www.westeynsham.co.uk for further information.
Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) - Botley West Solar Farm - West Oxfordshire
PVDP is developing proposals for a solar farm of approximately 1400 hectares, excluding connecting cable routes, within the administrative areas of West Oxfordshire, Cherwell and Vale of White Horse. The proposals are being developed through agreement with supportive landowners including Blenheim Estate and Merton College.
As the capacity of Botley West Solar Farm will exceed 50 megawatts (MW), the project is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). PVDP must apply for consent through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process. Applications are made to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), who then recommends to the Secretary of State for Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, who will make the final decision on whether to grant consent to Botley West Solar Farm.
PVDP's website is available here.
Eynsham Parish Council's first response is available here. The Council's Scoping Opinion response is available here (6 July 2023).
Salt Cross Garden Village
West Oxfordshire District Council's (WODC) Area Action Plan has now been approved by the Planning Inspectorate subject to main modifications (the list of modifications can be found here). These changes will be subject to further consultation. Details can be found here on WODC's website. The Parish Council's response to the proposed Main Modifications is available here (3 November 2022).
Planning applications for the Garden Village can be found below:-
20/01734/OUT - Outline application with means of access for a mixed-use Garden Village, comprising residential, retail, food and drink, health and community facilities, hotel, class B1, B2 and B8 employment uses, education provision, burial ground, public open space with sports pitches together with ancillary facilities, landscaping and associated infrastructure and works. - Land North Of A40 A40 Section From Barnard Gate To Eynsham Roundabout Eynsham. WODC status - Under consideration.
The link for this substantial planning application can be found here. The Parish Council's response is available here. The Council has been granted an extension in the deadline to respond, to 7 October 2020. Residents are encouraged to submit their response as soon as possible. Please also see EPIC's news item for additional information.
Salt Cross Garden Village Area Action Plan (AAP) Examination
West Oxfordshire District Council's AAP webpage can be found here. The Parish Council's Hearing Statements are available here.
Oxfordshire County Council - Park & Ride (revised layout) - R3.0077/22
Land West of Cuckoo Lane and Adjacent to the A40, Eynsham, OX29 4PU
Planning application seeking full permission for:- Details pursuant to Condition 3 (Revised P&R Site Layout Plan) of planning permission 19/01725/CC3REG & 19/01095/ADJ (R3.0057/19)
The planning application can be found here. Application was approved.
Oxfordshire County Council - Park & Ride - R3.0072/22
Land West of Cuckoo lane and adjacent to the A40, Eynsham, West Oxfordshire, OX29 4PU
Planning application seeking full permission for:- Provision of one temporary construction access, one permanent entry-only vehicular access, and one permanent non-motorised bell mouth access from Cuckoo Lane onto land to the west with associated landscaping and hardstanding.
The planning application can be found here. Deadline for response - 20 July 2022.