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ITEM EX5

EXECUTIVE – 10 JUNE 2003

OXFORDSHIRE STRUCTURE PLAN REVIEW

Report by Assistant Director – Land Use Planning

Introduction

  1. The Structure Plan Working Group has been considering the content of the draft update of the Structure Plan to 2016. The draft was circulated to all members of the Council prior to the meeting of the Environment Scrutiny Committee meeting on 16 May 2003, together with a draft of this report, complete with Annexes. Members are asked to bring their copies to the meeting. The draft update has been prepared in the light of the outcome of consultation on issues that was carried out last year. A review of that consultation was included as Annex 1 with the papers for the Environment Scrutiny Committee meeting.

  2. The next stage is the placing of the draft on public deposit, giving members of the public and interested bodies the opportunity to make representations about it. This is a statutory stage, in which the Deposit Draft represents the Council’s formal proposals. Since by definition the proposals cannot be "wholly in accordance with" the existing approved Structure Plan, it is the advice of the Monitoring Officer that a decision to approve the Deposit Draft may only be made by the full Council. The Executive is asked to consider the draft and the Environment Scrutiny Committee’s comments on it (reported below), and subject to that, to recommend the Council to approve it for public consultation in September.

    3. Content of the Deposit Draft

  3. The document sets out proposals to change the Structure Plan to provide a new framework to guide development. The Structure Plan consists of policies (the written statement) supported by explanatory text which is the remainder of the document.

  4. Chapter 1 provides background to the Plan, including why the Plan is being reviewed and how it relates to the County Council’s and its partners’ overall priorities. One aim in reviewing the plan has been to reflect current Government guidance and to streamline the plan.

  5. The remainder of the document sets out the proposed strategy and policies. Chapter 2 sets out the strategy of the plan and covers two phases: 2001 – 2016, which is covered by the subsequent policies; and a more general statement of a possible strategy and options for the longer term, beyond 2016, which could form the basis for the County Council’s input to the preparation of the new Regional Spatial Strategy. Annex 2 included with the Scrutiny Committee papers outlines the broad options for the location of development that were considered by the Structure Plan Working Group in coming to a view about a preferred strategy.

  6. Chapter 3 covers the general guiding principles for development, with the emphasis on the larger urban areas as the main focus for development, making best use of previously developed land within built up areas, and locating development so as to reduce the need to travel and encourage walking, cycling and use of public transport. The policies also cover the need for high quality design and to secure necessary infrastructure and services.

  7. In the Transport chapter (Chapter 4) the revised policies make them more concise while continuing their aim to bring about more sustainable transport. A proposed new policy recognises the importance of the Local Transport Plan in bringing about transport management and infrastructure improvements and the opportunity for the Council, on completion of the Transport Networks Review, to adopt a new countywide strategy for managing and improving the transport networks. The policy also recognises the significance of the Bicester-Oxford-Didcot corridor, which serves several of the principal economic and development areas of the county.

  8. The policies in Chapter 5 on protecting the environment are broadly similar to the policies in the adopted Plan, although some policies have been merged to reduce length.

  9. The chapter on developing the local economy (Chapter 6) seeks to reflect the County Council’s overall priorities for sustaining prosperity and particularly the development of the knowledge based economy. The policies continue to seek to spread the benefits of the Oxfordshire economy by providing opportunities for firms to locate and expand in the main towns (in particular for science based firms) whilst continuing to seek a better balance between housing and jobs in Oxford.

  10. Policy H1 in the housing chapter (Chapter 7) sets out the overall distribution of housing for each district and identifies the main locations for new housing development.

  11. The draft Plan proposes that 36,500 houses should be built in Oxfordshire between 2001 and 2016 to reflect Regional Planning Guidance (RPG9) which states that in Oxfordshire provision should be made for 2,430 houses to be built each year between 2001 and 2016. The policy also sets out the overall target (55%) for the amount of housing to be built on previously developed sites and addresses the need to manage the release of large greenfield sites. Policy H3 covers the issues of design, quality and density of development. Policy H4 sets a target for 50% affordable housing.

  12. The town centre policies (Chapter 8) set out the overall hierarchy of centres and priorities for new town centre development.

  13. Some of the recreation and leisure policies have been merged with the general policies guiding development. Otherwise the substance of the policies remains as in the adopted Plan.

  14. Policies for energy (Chapter 10) covering the development of renewable energy sources, and proposals for wind energy are now covered by one policy.

  15. The minerals policies (Chapter 11) include a proposal for a new sand and gravel mineral working area – the Stadhampton – Berinsfield - Warborough – Benson area (see Annex 3 included with the Scrutiny Committee papers). Policies covering the supply of minerals, restoration and borrow pits have been combined into one policy.

  16. Policies for waste (Chapter 12) now focus on waste management and less on the provision of sites for landfill.

    17. Consultation on the Deposit Draft

  17. It is intended that the draft Plan should be placed on deposit in September of this year and should be the focus of wide ranging consultation across the County. The consultation programme is being worked up and will be developed with the County Council’s Consultation Officer. It is proposed that final arrangements should be agreed with the Executive Members for Strategic Planning & Waste Management and Transport.

  18. Following consultation the Council could propose changes to the Draft prior to its consideration by an independent panel at an Examination in Public next spring.

    19. Environment Scrutiny Committee Views

  19. The Environment Scrutiny Committee considered the Deposit Draft at a special meeting on 16 May. The issues raised are noted at Annex A. (The Committee also received an address and written submission from Oxford City Council; the submission is reproduced at Annex B.)

    20. Environmental Implications

  20. The purpose of the Structure Plan is to provide for necessary development in a way that is sustainable. Concern for the environment is thus at the heart of the plan. Sustainability appraisal of options and emerging policies has been carried out as part of the work of preparing the Deposit Draft and will be reported with its publication.

    21. Financial and Staffing Implications

  21. The review of the Structure Plan is part of the statutory processes of the Council and can be met from existing resources. Specific provisions have been included in the budget to cover the potential costs of consultation and the examination in public.

    22. RECOMMENDATIONS

  22. The Executive is RECOMMENDED:

          1. subject to consideration of the comments of the Environment Scrutiny Committee, to RECOMMEND Council to approve the Oxfordshire Structure Plan Deposit Draft for public deposit for a period of six weeks starting in September 2003, subject to any changes that may be agreed in accordance with (b) below;

          2. to authorise the Director for Environment & Economy to make presentational and minor textual changes to the document prior to public deposit, subject to consultation with the Executive Members for Strategic Planning & Waste Management and Transport; and

          3. authorise the Director for Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Executive Members for Strategic Planning & Waste Management and Transport, to finalise and implement a consultation programme for the deposit stage of the review of the Structure Plan.

CHRIS COUSINS
Assistant Director – Land Use Planning

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officers: Frankie Upton, Tel Oxford 815962, Ian Walker, Tel Oxford 815588

May 2003

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