In recent weeks, district councillors in South Oxfordshire have been considering the options available for the district’s Local Plan and will get a chance to debate and vote on the options in the coming weeks.
The plan was submitted to the government in March but since the council’s new administration was elected in May, it has been taking time to look at key policies and projects in development at the council, including the Local Plan.
Councillors will now be considering four possible options on the way forward for the Local Plan – the council’s Scrutiny Committee will discuss the options at a meeting on Wednesday 19 June. The committee’s comments will then be considered by the council’s Cabinet who will make a recommendation to all councillors who will debate and vote on the options at a full Council meeting.
Here is a brief summary of the options, which are explained in full along with the benefits, drawbacks and risks of each option in a report to the Scrutiny committee, which will be published on the council’s website on 18 June.
- Option one – make no changes to the plan and allow it to continue to be examined by the government’s independent inspectors.
- Option two – allow the plan to continue to be examined by the government’s inspectors but recommend a series of main modifications that will be considered by the inspectors.
- Option three – withdraw the plan, revise it, and then resubmit the revised plan following an additional public consultation.
- Option four - withdraw the plan and start the whole plan-making process from the beginning.
Council officers have recommended councillors choose option one.
Cllr Sue Cooper, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It is very important to make sure we consider all of the options available to us, as well as the financial, planning and legal implications of each of those options – I’m very happy that councillors will get the chance to have their say on the way forward to help ensure the views of our residents are heard as we make these very important decisions.”
