Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Councillor Turner made a statement that he is a member of the Culham Local Liaison Committee.

As this is not a disclosable pecuniary interest Councillor Turner was able to take part in the discussion and voting on the Local Plan.

To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business relating to matters on the agenda and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chairman. 

There were no urgent items.

On behalf of the council, the Chairman welcomed new councillor Caroline Newton to the council following her election as the ward councillor for Haseley Brook.

The chairman agreed, in accordance with provisions in council procedure rule 44, to allow councilors to speak for longer than five minutes. Council agreed to suspend council procedure rule 45 insofar as it limits councillors to speaking once.

Members of the public who wish to address Council on the agenda item for this meeting must register to do so in writing or by email to democratic.services@southandvale.gov.uk no later than 5.00pm on Wednesday 27 September 2017. 

A list providing details of the members of the public who had registered to address Council was tabled at the meeting.

At its meeting on Thursday 21 September Cabinet will consider the head of planning’s report on the publication of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan to 2033. 

All district councillors have been sent a copy of the Cabinet report and Local Plan document separately.  PLEASE BRING THIS WITH YOU TO THE MEETING. 

The Local Plan document can also be found on the council’s website: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/planning-policy/emerging-local-plan

The Scrutiny Committee considered the Local Plan at its meeting on Wednesday 13 September 2017.  The committee’s comments will be reported to Cabinet. 

Cabinet’s recommendations will be circulated to all councillors on Friday 22 September 2017.

During the course of debate on this item, Council agreed, prior to the expiry of two and a half hours, in accordance with council procedure rule 12, to extend the duration of the meeting by half an hour. Prior to the expiry of the three hour period Council agreed, in accordance with council procedure rule 82, to suspend council procedure rule 12, which restricts the duration of a meeting to three hours, to allow Council to complete the business.

Michael Tyce, representing the Campaign to Protect Rural England, addressed Council. He stated that the allocation of homes to meet Oxford City’s unmet housing need is unsound and that the housing numbers are based on anticipated growth rather than an assessment of genuine housing need and are therefore unsound and in excess of the government’s recently published revised housing numbers. The proposed housing sites in Culham and Wheatley are both in the Green Belt.

Peter Kirby, a resident of Culham, addressed Council regarding the site allocation at Culham. He questioned the long-term employment opportunities offered by Culham Science Centre which, in his view, would become a small industrial estate. The new development, in prime Green Belt, would become a ‘dormitory’ town for London commuters.

Sam Casey-Rerhaye, representing Culham Parish Council, addressed Council regarding the site allocation at Culham.  She expressed the view that in light of the government’s published revised housing figures the Culham site is no longer required. He questioned the identification of Culham Railway Station as a sustainable transport option because of the infrequent service and did not believe the science centre would offer the anticipated employment opportunities.

Caroline Baird, representing Save Culham Green Belt addressed Council regarding the site allocation at Culham.  She also questioned the long term employment opportunities offered by the science park as fusion research withdrew from the site. Because of the government’s revised housing figures the site is not required. The site is within the Green Belt, surrounded by flood plan and lacks the necessary transport infrastructure.

Ann Pritchard, representing Chalgrove Parish Council, addressed Council regarding the site allocation at Chalgrove airfield. The proposed development is unsustainable, would generate a significant increase in traffic through Chalgrove and is not deliverable because there is no agreement to sell the site.

Ian Goldsmith, representing Cuxham with Easington Parish Council, addressed Council regarding the site allocation at Chalgrove airfield. The road through Cuxham is narrow and the increase in traffic generated by the development would constitute a danger to residents whose houses fronted onto the narrow roads in the village, pedestrians and cyclists and would damage the environment and the listed buildings in the village.

Paul Boone, representing Chalgrove SHIELD, addressed Council regarding the site allocation at Chalgrove airfield. The Homes and Community Agency (HCA) proposal is flawed. The proposal is based on assumptions rather than facts - the site cannot be developed without the support of the current tenant and the business park will not provide jobs for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.