Issue - meetings

Report of Corporate Director Communities

Purpose of report

To respond to the question raised at council in December 2023 to provide resource and budget to enable the development of a new vision for Kidlington cognisant of the growth allocated in the 2020 Local Plan Partial Review and to provide ongoing oversight of development.

Recommendations

The Executive recommends:

1.1       To develop a Kidlington Infrastructure Strategy in 2024/25 and resource to provide oversight to its ongoing delivery.

Resolved

(1)          That it be agreed to develop a Kidlington Infrastructure Strategy in 2024/25 and resource to provide oversight to its ongoing delivery.

The Corporate Director Communities submitted a report to respond to the question raised at council in December 2023 to provide resource and budget to enable the development of a new vision for Kidlington cognisant of the growth allocated in the 2020 Local Plan Partial Review and to provide ongoing oversight of development.

In introducing the report, the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration thanked Councillor McLean for raising the question at the December Council meeting. In response, the Leader had committed to the development of a holistic strategy for the Kidlington area.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration explained that the development of a Kidlington Vision would complete the need for a place based vision for each of the three main urban areas of Cherwell. It would build upon the work of the Banbury Vision which had undertaken widespread and detailed stakeholder engagement to identify key themes, and on the Reimaging Bicester work which has a focus on the achievement of exemplary development as part of the Garden Town vision and the integration of new communities with existing.

Having raised the question at the December Council meeting, Councillor McLean addressed Executive commenting that she was pleased the work was being taken forward and hope it would progress in a timely manner.

Councillor Middleton addressed Executive and referred to the questions he had submitted earlier that day confirming he would await a written response.

Resolved

(1)          That it be agreed to develop a Kidlington Infrastructure Strategy in 2024/25 and resource to provide oversight to its ongoing delivery.

Reasons

The development of a Kidlington Vision would complete the need for a place based vision for each of the three main urban areas of Cherwell. It would build upon the work of the Banbury Vision which has undertaken widespread and detailed stakeholder engagement to identify key themes, and on the Reimaging Bicester work which has a focus on the achievement of exemplary development as part of the Garden Town vision and the integration of new communities with existing.

Alternative options

Option 1: Do Nothing. Under this option, development would come forward site by site through the planning process and infrastructure and community assets would be coordinated by existing resources in the respective tiers of Local Government and other agencies.