CONSULTATION on a blueprint for our region?s future development, has been launched.
The excercise will be taking place until Friday, June 23, and the panel will hold a public examination of the Plan starting in the autumn.
The draft South East Plan will set a vision for the region to 2026, covering housing, transport, the economy and the environment. Once adopted, it will also set the framework for district councils to prepare local plans.
In a statement, Oxfordshire County Council say that the Plan proposes that 47,200 new homes be built in Oxfordshire from 2006 to 2026. Of this, they say, 26,300 are already planned up to 2016 and an additional 11,000 could be built on previously developed land. The Plan proposes that most of the remaining houses should be built in Bicester, Didcot, Wantage and Grove, about 6,400.
The statement continues: “A significant number of new homes will be built in Oxford, recognising the need to make the best use of previously developed land.
“The Plan seeks to protect the Green Belt around Oxford, building on the county?s economic strengths particularly in education, science and technology and seeks higher levels of affordable housing. Key however is the delivery of much needed infrastructure.”
Councillor Roger Belson, the County Council?s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said:”Building new houses alone does not create real communities.
“Adequate transport and other infrastructure must be put in place. Schools, hospitals, community centres, libraries, and water supplies are all vitally important. This will be the central message we will be drumming home to Government through this consultation exercise”.
Consultation responses should be made on special response forms which are available in the consultation section of the South East Plan website at Link
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