Cherwell Draft Local Plan Modifications

A crucial opportunity to object to unjustified housing numbers, by 3 October

Cherwell District Council recently published modifications to its draft Local Plan.

The modifications have been made in response to a direction from a Government Planning Inspector. This requires Cherwell to use exceptionally high forecasts of housing need from the controversial Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), which has been much criticised by the public, organisations (such as CPRE) and politicians alike.  (See CPRE critique of Oxfordshire SHMA)

The SHMA has not been subject to any consultation or independent examination and we are pressing for this to happen. It may be that the first opportunity to challenge it will be when the examination into the Cherwell Local Plan resumes. This is expected in December. It is important therefore that as many people as possible object to the uncritical use of the SHMA forecasts in Cherwell’s Local Plan, which would put our countryside at risk.

A daunting mass of documents has been produced on the Council’s website to accompany the consultation – see: Cherwell District Council Local Plan webpage. The Council has produced a form for making representations which also appears complicated. However, it is not necessary to use the Council’s form and it is possible to send a relatively short e-mail or letter of objection. We give a suggestion below.

Please note that it is important to give your name and address, and state which modification(s) you are objecting to. Many modifications mention the SHMA. We suggest specifying modifications 28 and 34.

Representations (objections) can be made until Friday 3 October.

They should be sent by e-mail to: planning.policy@cherwell-dc.gov.uk

or by post to: Local Plan Modifications, Strategic Planning and The Economy, Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, OX15 4AA

CPRE Oxfordshire will be submitting its own response to the consultation, which will be available on our website in due course. However, it is vital that as many people as possible also raise these issues to ensure that the Inspector is aware of the strength of public feeling.

Find out more about the Oxfordshire SHMA and CPRE’s Protect Rural Oxfordshire Campaign

 

Cherwell_LP_Main_Modifications_Example_Response.doc.docx
Cherwell_LP_Main_Modifications_Example_Response.pdf