Agenda and decisions

**At its 26 November 2024 meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee resolved to adjourn consideration of this item. The Committee is reconvening to consider this item**

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered a report of the Assistant Director Planning and Development on the draft proposed Cherwell Local Plan 2042 at its extraordinary meeting on 12 November 2024.

At the meeting, the Committee requested that the following supporting documents be submitted to this meeting for consideration prior to submission to Executive on 2 December 2024.

a1)      Draft Sustainability Appraisal Non-technical Summary

a2)      Draft Sustainability Appraisal WIP

b)         Draft WIP Habitats Regulation Assessment

c)         the Health and Equalities Impact Assessment

d)         Interim Duty to Cooperate Statement

e)         Local Plan Appendix 4 - Strategic Gaps associated with Banbury, Bicester and Heyford Park: Key Characteristics and Recommendations 

The draft versions of these documents were published as Exempt papers with the original agenda publication, for the reasons set out on that agenda, but having been subsequently finalised and made available for publication. They were published with a Supplementary Note: Summary of Changes to the O&S Supplementary Documents on Monday 25 November.

Recommendations

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves:

 1.1        To review the Local Plan supplementary documents and identify any comments for consideration by the Executive when it considers the Local Plan, currently scheduled for 2 December 2024 but Local Plan consideration to be adjourned until after Overview and Scrutiny Committee meet.

Resolved

(1)          That the following observations be noted:-

i).    In consideration of the Draft Local Plan timeline being followed, it is noted that if the Local Plan submission is rejected by the Planning Inspectorate this could present a serious risk to the Council’s local planning process.

ii).   Regarding the “duty to cooperate”, the importance of evidence of engagement with neighbouring local authorities, (including Oxford City Council).

iii).  It is noted that planning officers agreed to meet with Chesterton Parish Council on employment proposals along the A41 corridor.

iv).The importance of the robustness of the Local Housing Needs Assessment is noted, particularly in regard to unmet housing needs of neighbouring local authorities.

v).  It is noted that the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) will form part of the evidence base for the Local Plan. 

vi).That it be noted that lessons learnt from the process followed pre-consultation scrutiny of the proposed Draft Local Plan include that there should be a longer lead in time for pre-consultation scrutiny. 

(2)          That the following Recommendations be made to the Executive:-

i).    That the Draft Local Plan include a reference to Health in Rural Areas (provision of health facilities partially in rural areas).

Proposed by Councillor David Rogers, Seconded by Cllr Phil Chapman and agreed with 7 votes for, 0 against and 2 abstentions

ii).   That Executive be recommended to agree that the Proposed Cherwell Local Plan 2042 be approved for the purpose of inviting representations under Regulations 19 and 20 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

Proposed by Councillor Isabel Creed, Seconded by Nigel Simpson and agreed unanimously