I continue to be contacted by many residents who are concerned about the volume of proposed developments currently being considered around Banbury, Bicester and the surrounding villages. A multitude of speculative proposals for housing and industrial developments are causing significant concern about the possible impact on local communities and infrastructure.
It is important to note that, in line with the vast majority of my colleagues, I do not ordinarily intervene in individual planning matters unless they are of particularly large scale or have generated a considerably strong response from residents. This is because local planning applications almost always fall under the responsibility of Cherwell District Council and its Planning Committee. It is the Council's role to determine applications in line with pre-determined policies, which are largely defined by the Cherwell Local Plan.
However, it is clear to me that there have been an unprecedented number of planning applications registered in recent months which exceed or are contrary to the vision established by the Local Plan. Moreover, the Council are currently undertaking a Local Plan Review. This process will produce the Cherwell Local Plan 2040, which will replace existing policies and aim to address the district’s needs up to 2040.
Local Plans are important as they provide a framework for the location, scale and nature of development which will be allowed when planning applications are submitted. Having been contacted by a number of residents regarding the draft plan, I visited a number of the communities who are most affected by the proposals. I submitted a formal response to the consultation, incorporating my own views and those raised with me by residents. You can read this in full below.
I continue to work closely with Council officers, local Councillors and also my colleagues in Government to ensure that local development is guided by our agreed policies and the consent of the local community, rather than speculative, opportunistic proposals.
