Local Elections – does your candidate support the countryside?

Credit: Steve Houghton-Burnett on Unsplash This May, we are asking candidates in Local Elections to consider 4 key topics. CPRE’s 2022 State of brownfield report shows that the amount of previously developed land continues to grow across England. Currently there’s enough space for over 1.2 million homes to be built across 23,000 sites covering more…

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Oxford Green Belt Way Circular Walk

10am Sunday 30th April, meeting at Thornhill Park & Ride, Oxford. Join us on a 10 km (6 mile) guided walk leaving urban Oxford and exploring the surrounding countryside, including the Oxford Green Belt. Booking essential, click here for more information and to book a place. Free – donations are welcome either on the day…

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Local Area Energy Plan for Oxfordshire a big step in right direction

Countryside charity CPRE Oxfordshire is claiming a campaign win after its calls for a county-wide renewable energy strategy appear to have been acknowledged. The Future Oxfordshire Partnership has met to consider a proposal for a Local Area Energy Plan, as part of a broader Pathways to Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PaZCo) Action Plan. Helen Marshall, Director,…

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Oxford City’s growth agenda threatens countryside

View of Oxford Photo: © Jane Tomlinson

Oxford City is currently consulting on a new round of high growth-based housing figures for Oxford. Brownfield sites are being prioritised for employment, meaning the pressure on housing supply in the city will increase with ‘affordable’ housing remaining out of reach for most households. CPRE Oxfordshire believes these sites should instead be focused on high…

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Calling Green Belt Parishes!

Will yet more Oxford City overspill be coming soon to a Green Belt near you?   The same consultants are back with a new round of high growth based housing figures for Oxford. But with brownfield sites in the City still being prioritised for jobs growth rather than housing, it looks like the City Council will…

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Take Action for an Oxfordshire-wide Renewable Energy Strategy

Solar Array

We are calling on our Local Authority Leaders to make an immediate commitment to producing a county-wide Renewables Strategy, including public consultation, and to set an early deadline for completion.  Currently renewable projects, such as the potential grouping of sites at Tetsworth, Nuneham Courtenay and Culham and the proposed huge Botley West solar farm, are threatening vast…

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Help us see off damaging 5 Year Housing Land Supply Rules for good!

Government Consultation on Planning Reforms – closes 2 March 2023 The Government is running a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework ( NPPF), including the proposed removal of 5 Year Housing Land Supply Rules that have led to speculative and inappropriate development across Oxfordshire. The  Framework is the basis on which Local…

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Sustainable Water – Not a ‘Megavoir’

A Guide to responding to the current water consultations –  Water Resources South East Plan and Thames Water Resources Management Plan Consultations on both the Water Resources South East (WRSE) Plan and Thames Water’s Management Plan (WRMP) are now running . Together, these plans will determine Thames Water’s investment plans for water supply in the…

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