Your chance to have a say in
looking after your neighbourhood
Dear Forum Member
The Neighbourhood Plan for our area has been in operation since March 2019. It is now due for an update, which we explain below.
The Neighbourhood Forum is seeking community consent for the approach towards this update.
In light of the above we would urge all Forum Members to complete the Questionnaire which is based on the structure of the current Neighborhood Plan.
Relevance of Neighbourhood Plans
Neighbourhood plans provide the opportunity for communities to set out a positive vision for how they want their area to develop over a period of time
These Plans are developed by a Neighbourhood Forum and provide their operational mandate mainly through commenting on planning applications.
The Neighborhood Plans play an important role in the planning application process through:
Spatial Policies: these are subject to approval by an authorised Inspector and then become mandatory planning conditions.
Community Policies: the Community expresses visions and ambitions for their area as planning guidance.
Character Assessments: these are descriptions of specific neighbourhood sections and do contain planning guidance.
(See attached map with the character zones)
In addition to the above, Neighbourhood Forums are empowered to recommend the allocation of 25% of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) on all new developments in their area.
Background for the update
The current Neighbourhood Plan was approved by referendum on 7-3-2019 and adopted by the Oxford City Council on 29-4-2019.
In 2019 our Neighbourhood Plan had to be coordinated with Oxford’s 2036 Local Plan.
Since then, the Oxford Local Plan 2040 has been developed and is in its final stage and under Inspector’s review. It is expected that it will be adopted sometime during 2025.
Therefore, it makes sense to update our Neighbourhood Plan now, so that it is compatible with the new Local Plan. It will also take into account the experience of working with the Plan over the last five years.
The main lessons learned over the past five years are:
The general commentary in the Plan and the overall vision are still valid so there is no need for a radical rewrite.
Our experience has been that the Spatial Policies, which have legal power, are too general and lack the teeth to be used effectively in commenting on planning applications.
The same is true for the Character Assessments, the other section of the Plan where planning guidance is provided.
There is also a lack of more detailed design guidance for important landmark developments.
The Neighbourhood Plan should not repeat and should generally conform with the National, County and City planning laws and guidance.
Design Codes
A Design Code is a set of concise, unambiguous, illustrated design requirements for the development of a site or street or for the alterations to buildings.
The Oxford 2040 Local plan encourages the inclusion on Design Codes for specific areas in Neighbourhood Plans.
This is a major opportunity for an early community involvement in the development process and will need careful consideration.
Alexandra Park
The Forum has been active in developing ambitious plans for improvements of one of the very few public green spaces inside our area.
Shared Spaces
The questionnaire refers to the possibility of a ‘Shared Space’ for the Summertown Shopping Centre.
A ‘Shared Space’ is a fluid streetscape where the various users operate harmoniously guided by textured pavements and a natural understanding for a pedestrian, cyclist, car priority approach.
A proposal for the Summertown shopping section of Banbury Road will have to take its function as a major access road into account
Examples are;
Exhibition Road in London’s Kensington Museum area.
To an extent; Frideswide Square in Oxford.
Or even; Oxford’s Queen Street with cars.
Approach towards the update
A start has been made with the update process during a public meeting on 18-6-24. The attached questionnaire was used as a discussion guide.
This workshop-style meeting was well attended and a full report will be published later as an integral part of the consultation.
It is expected that it will take to the end of 2025 to complete the draft for the revised Neighbourhood Plan.
During this period there will regular communication with the community and close liaison with Oxford City’s Planning Team.
The updated Plan together will a consultation statement and a legal review will then be presented to an independent Inspector who will decide if the Plan:
Is recommended to be adopted by the Oxford City Council without further process
Requires a referendum before adoptions
Is rejected.
Depending on the above the new Plan could be in force either during 2026 or 2027 if there is a requirement for a referendum.