Agenda item

To consider the head of planning’s report (to follow). 

Cabinet considered the report of the head of planning on the progress made in responding to the Council resolution of 18 July 2019 regarding the Housing and Infrastructure Fund and, having assessed the risks, the options to progress the Local Plan 2034.

Councillor Leigh Rawlins, Cabinet member for planning, thanked the public speakers for their addresses. He thanked councillors and officers for the work they had done.

He explained that the purpose of the Cabinet report is to update councillors on the progress made in responding to the Council resolution of 18 July 2019; and to consider, having assessed the benefits and risks, which option to progress the Local Plan.  

The report set out three options for progression of the Local Plan for the district. Option A is the officers recommended option, which is to continue with the Local Plan examination. Option B is to withdraw the Local Plan from examination and re-consult on a revised Regulation 19 in due course. Option C is to withdraw the Local Plan from examination and to re-start the Local Plan. The advantages and risks of those options are set out in the report for each option.

Having considered the officer’s report he moved the following motion seconded by Councillor Andrea Powell.

 “That Cabinet recommends Council to:

1.    withdraw the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034,

     for the following reasons:

• the uplift above the standard method from 627 homes to 775 homes a year is excessive, and the existence of the Growth Deal should not be used as a justification for this uplift
• the overall supply of homes in the Local Plan period is considered excessive as it is over 5,000 homes greater than the need identified for South Oxfordshire, even allowing provision for Oxford City’s unmet housing need.
• the Local Plan does not give sufficient weight to responding to the climate emergency that we face as recognised by the decision of Council of 11 April 2019
• concerns about site selection issues including:
  • that the scale of Green Belt release is not justified
  • flawed site selection having regard to the sustainability and deliverability of strategic allocations
• concerns about the impact of the housing mix delivery and density policy

2.    withdraw from the Oxfordshire Statements of Common Ground linked to the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034

3.    agree to commence work as soon as practicable on a new ambitious Local Plan, to seek to address the above concerns

4.    request a report on the merits of a joint Local Plan with neighbouring authorities

5.    request the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to provide financial support to support a new ambitious Local Plan

6.    explore other opportunities for funding

7.    bring forward revenue expenditure on a new Local Plan currently estimated at £2 million into the next Medium-Term Financial Plan period, representing the most cost-effective option

8.    ask officers to prepare a new Local Development Scheme and work programme and bring this to Cabinet for approval.”

In moving the motion, Councillor Rawlins stated that he had been on a journey in respect of the Local Plan. Whilst he knew many of the perceived shortfalls prior to his election as a councillor in May 2019 he knew more now. He and other Cabinet members had considered the benefits and importance of infrastructure funding. He noted that the inspectors had advised that there is very limited scope to make changes via the examination process. In respect of option B – there are a number of drawbacks, despite it seeming to offer a faster resolution. Those drawbacks were made greater by threats and pressures made with the objective of forcing option A. Given the challenges that the council faces with finance he stated that option C offered the most cost effective option over time and, as officers advise, carries less risk than option B.

He stated that the administration would continue to take forward reasonable arrangements with partners and that the council’s housing land supply is and will remain robust to avoid speculative development. The motion provides the best way forward for the district, a new local plan with a solid evidence base, designed more coherently than the previous divided administration was able to put in place, able to respond to the climate emergency and reduce long commuting.

Cabinet members spoke in support of the motion. The new administration was elected in May 2019, in part, to address concerns regarding the Local Plan. A new local plan would address the climate emergency. It would provide an opportunity to develop a plan to address social, economic and environmental issues. In respect of the threat to infrastructure funding, the view was expressed that the justification existed for the infrastructure without the new housing. Consideration of infrastructure funding issues should not override consideration of other issues. The Local Plan was based on outdated data.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL: to

1.    withdraw the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034,

for the following reasons:

·         the uplift above the standard method from 627 homes to 775 homes a year is excessive and the existence of the Growth Deal should not be used as a justification for this uplift

·         the overall supply of homes in the Local Plan period is considered excessive as it is over 5,000 homes greater than the need identified for South Oxfordshire, even allowing provision for Oxford City’s unmet housing need

·         the Local Plan does not give sufficient weight to responding to the climate emergency that we face as recognised by the decision of Council of 11 April 2019

·         concerns about site selection issues including:

o   that the scale of Green Belt release is not justified

o   flawed site selection having regard to the sustainability and deliverability of strategic allocations

• concerns about the impact of the housing mix delivery and density policy

2.    withdraw from the Oxfordshire Statements of Common Ground linked to the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034

3.    agree to commence work as soon as practicable on a new ambitious Local Plan, to seek to address the above concerns

4.    request a report on the merits of a joint Local Plan with neighbouring authorities

5.    request the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to provide financial support to support a new ambitious Local Plan

6.    explore other opportunities for funding

7.    bring forward revenue expenditure on a new Local Plan currently estimated at £2 million into the next Medium Term Financial Plan period, representing the most cost-effective option

8.    ask officers to prepare a new Local Development Scheme and work programme and bring this to Cabinet for approval