ANNEX D

Proposed Changes to Policy H1 in the Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2016 Deposit Draft

Proposed changes to policy H1 are set out below.  Deletions are shown crossed through, insertions in italics.  Subject to the agreement of County Council, the proposed changes will be advertised and published for public comment before the EIP.

H1	Provision will be made for about 36,500 additional dwellings (net) between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2016.  The provision will be distributed as follows:

	  2001-2016	

Cherwell

Oxford 

South Oxfordshire 

Vale of White Horse

West Oxfordshire

Total	
	9,250

	5,500

	8,500

	6,750

	6,500

	36,500	
	9,350

	5,700

	7,500

	7,150

	6,800	

	The main locations for new housing will be within Oxford (about 5,500 5,700 dwellings), Banbury (about 3,700 dwellings), Bicester (about 3,200 3,300 dwellings), Didcot (about 4,500 dwellings), Witney (about 2,700 3,000 dwellings) and Grove (about 2,100 dwellings).  and an urban extension for mixed use development on land south of Grenoble Road, Oxford (about 1,000 dwellings).

	Elsewhere, most development should take place in larger settlements where a reasonable range of employment, services and community facilities exist, are planned or can be provided at reasonable cost.  Significant additional housing development, including inappropriate infill, should be avoided where this is likely to result largely in commuting by car to urban centres and where travel needs are unlikely to be well served by public transport.

	At least 55% of all new dwellings should be built on previously developed land within urban areas or through conversions of existing buildings.  The provision of housing will be phased and the release of large sites managed so that priority is given to the development of previously developed land and buildings within urban areas, and land is released gradually throughout the plan period, and to ensure the provision of necessary supporting infrastructure, services and facilities and other improvements.