Decision details


The Oxfordshire Plan Regulation 18 Part 2 Consultation Document

Decision Maker: Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That the draft Executive report and the Regulation 18 (Part 2) consultation document for public consultation be noted

 

(2)       That the following observations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be reported to the Executive:

 

a.      A feeling of discontent amongst the Committee regarding the volume of information relating to the consultation, and the length of time Members had to go through it (acknowledging that it was within statutory legal timescales for agenda publication but not ideal). The Committee felt unable to sufficiently scrutinise the documentation in the available time. 

 

b.      A request for a clear communications strategy, and for progress updates and further involvement of both the Overview and Scrutiny Committee specifically, and more general briefings for all Members during the course of work on the plan following the Regulation 18 consultation

 

c.      A request for an understanding as to how the plan will address the estimated annual cost to the economy in relation to Mental Health, as detailed in the table in paragraph 248 of the consultation document (Committee supplement part 1, page 87).

 

d.      A request for the later stages of the Plan process to focus on the Affordable Homes aspect, specifically social housing and social rented housing, acknowledging the explanation from the Assistant Director – Planning and Development that in planning terms ‘affordable’ does include social rented housing.

 

e.      A request for clarity regarding how the preferred and alternative options will be presented in the final consultation document, to avoid possible confusion for those reading it.

 

f.        In relation to Policy Option 01: Sustainable Design and Construction, the removal of caveats such as ‘this policy would be subject to viability and deliverability testing’ (Committee supplement part 1, page 52) as they could be used as ‘get outs’ by land owners/developers later in the plan process

 

g.      Concerns around the Oxfordshire Growth Needs Assessment documents and the accuracy of the figures

 

h.      Natural growth is not referred to through the document, trajectory graphs provided are all straight lines and do not seem to take account for natural growth to decrease as well as increase.

 

i.        Within Policy Option 10 – Green Belt (Paragraph 258, Committee supplement 1 page 89),  National Planning Policy Framework guidelines are frequently referred to but the messages are mixed. In some cases there seems to be a suggestion of making it easier to build on Green Belt, and in others discussion is around enhancing Green Belt. 

Wards Affected: (All Wards);

Report author: David Peckford

Publication date: 19/07/2021

Date of decision: 14/07/2021

Decided at meeting: 14/07/2021 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Accompanying Documents: