Agenda and minutes

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

Councillor Kantor declared an interest in agenda item 5, Local Plan 2034; options to progress, as she was employed at Culham Science Centre and stated that she would be stepping down from the Committee during any discussion regarding the Culham strategic site.

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

None.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

The list of registered public speakers was tabled at the meeting (see Minute 21 below).

To consider the head of planning’s report to Cabinet.  This report will be published before the Cabinet meeting on 3 October. 

The committee considered the head of planning’s report to Cabinet on 3 October which set out the progress made in responding to the Council resolution of 18 July, set out below:

Council had resolved to:

(1)  express its determination to maintain its housing land supply and avoid speculative development;

(2)  express its continued support for the Housing and Infrastructure Fund (HIF) funding and infrastructure projects that could be delivered by it;

(3)  ask officers to explore with Oxfordshire County Council, Homes England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government options for protecting the HIF funding whilst enabling the council to address concerns about the current emerging Local Plan 2034 including (but not limited to) climate change issues, Oxford City’s unmet housing need, and to report back to Cabinet and Council;

(4)  recognising that the Climate Change Emergency is all too real and is recognised to be of key and statutory importance under the Climate Change Act 2008 and the associated objective of “zero carbon by 2050”, express its wish to do all that it can to respond through the Local Plan process;

(5)  agree that as soon as practicable, alongside satisfactory progress being made on resolving issues in the emerging Local Plan, work on a subsequent Local Plan shall commence, strengthening climate change considerations.

The report set out the following options to progress the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034, together with their advantages, disadvantages, estimated costs and timescales:

Option A - Progress with the emerging Local Plan

Option B – Withdraw the Local Plan and progress a revised version of the Local Plan through publication (Regulation 19)

Option C – Withdraw the Local Plan and embark upon a new Local Plan

The report concluded that Option A was likely to be the quickest way to ensure that the council had an up to date development plan and was less likely to result in speculative applications and resultant appeals.  It also presented the best opportunity to secure the provision of ongoing external infrastructure funding from HIF and the Oxfordshire Growth Deal, which was of particular benefit to the communities of Didcot and Science Vale.

Emma Baker, Planning Policy Team Leader, introduced the report and drew the committee’s attention to correspondence received. Also present to answer questions were Leigh Rawlins, Cabinet member for planning, Mark Stone, Chief Executive, Adrian Duffield, Head of Planning, Suzanne Malcolm, Head of Development and Regeneration, and Holly Jones, Planning Policy Manager.

Toby Pejkovic, on behalf of Save Culham Green Belt, addressed the committee. He stated his opposition to the emerging Local Plan and asked the committee to support Option C.

Dr Caroline Livingstone, representing UKAEA, addressed the committee.  She asked the committee to support the emerging Local Plan and Option A.

Ann Pritchard, representing Chalgrove Parish Council, addressed the committee. She asked that the Chalgrove Airfield site be removed from the emerging Local Plan. When questioned she expressed a preference for Option A.

Paul Boone, representing the Chalgrove Airfield Action Group, addressed the committee.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.