The Director of Planning and Regulation submitted a report which requested Cabinet to recommend that Council approve the Proposed Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 for public consultation and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, if no matters are raised that materially impact upon the Plan strategy, to submit the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for formal examination.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Recommend Council to approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 document for public consultation; 

2.    Recommend Council to approve all the supporting statutory documentation including the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation 18 October 2019 . Assessment, Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP), Policies Map and Equalities Impact Assessment;

3.    Recommend Council to authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any necessary minor editorial corrections to the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045, IDP, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment, Policies Map, and to agree the supporting evidence base prior to going out to consultation.

4.    Recommend Council to authorise, following publication, the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any minor changes to the document deemed necessary as a result of the consultation.

5.    Recommend Council to authorise submission of the Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for examination, following Regulation 19 consultation and any minor amendments made according to recommendation 3 or 4 and subject to there being no matters raised in the consultation that are considered to materially impact upon the Plan strategy. 

6.    Recommend Council to authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to invite the examining inspector(s) to recommend any modifications considered to be necessary in accordance with section 20(7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Cabinet resolved to:

1. Recommend Council to approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 document for public consultation; 
2. Recommend Council to approve all the supporting statutory documentation including the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation 18 October 2019 . Assessment, Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP), Policies Map and Equalities Impact Assessment;
3. Recommend Council to authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any necessary minor editorial corrections to the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045, IDP, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment, Policies Map, and to agree the supporting evidence base prior to going out to consultation.
4. Recommend Council to authorise, following publication, the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any minor changes to the document deemed necessary as a result of the consultation.
5. Recommend Council to authorise submission of the Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for examination, following Regulation 19 consultation and any minor amendments made according to recommendation 3 or 4 and subject to there being no matters raised in the consultation that are considered to materially impact upon the Plan strategy. 
6. Recommend Council to authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to invite the examining inspector(s) to recommend any modifications considered to be necessary in accordance with section 20(7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

The Director of Planning and Regulation submitted a report which requested Cabinet to recommend that Council approve the Proposed Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 for public consultation and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, if no matters are raised that materially impact upon the Plan strategy, to submit the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for formal examination.

Councillor Hollingsworth presented the report. He noted that the Local Plan draft would be proceeding to Council, and that amendments to the draft were being submitted by fellow Councillors. He said that they were at the final consultation stage before the plan goes to a planning inspector and through the public hearing process. The last Local Plan was adopted in June 2020, more than 5 years ago. He noted the technical impacts of not having an updated Local Plan for over five years. He said that the previous draft Local Plan that they had taken to public hearing was rendered as not appropriate, so they were undergoing the process again.

Councillor Hollingsworth highlighted the minimal policy changes in this Local Plan. He noted the differences caused by central government’s proposed new MPPF, but that this Local Plan needed to be in line with the existing MPPF. He addressed the housing need in the city of Oxford and their inability to meet this need, causing them to have an unmet housing need which they would address by working with neighbouring authorities.

Sarah Harrison, Team Leader (Planning Policy), outlined the housing numbers, the city’s need, and their capacity to address the challenge. She said that they have done as much work as they can to identify potential for new homes. She said that they were having continuous conversations with neighbouring authorities to address the housing need and that they welcomed challenges to show that they’re doing all they can to find housing in the city.

The Team Leader (Planning Policy) responded to the address from the member of the public regarding the allocation of Meadow Lane. She noted that rejections previously do not mean that a site would always be rejected. She said that the meadows were within the designated conservation area, but it was considered for a potential for a scheme to respond to the setting. She noted that traffic would have to be investigated as part of any proposals and that traffic was likely to be limited and suitable for surrounding roads. She added that a site being in a conservation area does not mean that it cannot be developed She said that the sustainability appraisal form flagged issues, and proposals would have to mitigate these sensitivities.

The Team Leader (Planning Policy) said that there was still a limited availability of housing sites in the city. She said that the potential to look at all opportunities was vital and that further work undertaken to support that was important. She added that there was still likely potential for development of the site to respond appropriately to the city’s need and the wildlife value of the site. She said that they had removed the minimum housing requirement to respond to the sensitivities of the site.

Councillor Brown asked about the LNRS and if that would be amended before the draft plan was presented to Council. The Team Leader (Planning Policy) said that it would not be amended prior to Council but would be amended before the public consultation.

Councillor Hollingsworth said that there were two elements on the advice they had received. He said that there were not grounds that Officers had put forward to remove the site. He added that they had not received advice which suggests that the site should be taken out. Secondly, he noted that they clearly have a very significant housing need. Over the course of the Local Plan, they would require 21,740 homes to be built and they only have sites to meet around 9,267 of those needs. Councillor Hollingsworth said that neighbouring authorities would have to find the rest.

Regarding the gap in housing need, Councillor Hollingsworth said that neighbouring authorities would not be pleased to see the city removing sites and then asking for neighbours to have more housing for the city’s need. He also noted the government advice that they have to look at every single potential site, and if there are no reasons to remove it, then they should be including all sites. He said that removal of this site would send the message that they are not serious about meeting their housing need.

Councillor Brown asked if because the site was allocated did that mean it would be developed. About this site, she said that there were reasons to think that if it was developed it would be done so sensitively and with perhaps relatively fewer houses.

The Team Leader (Planning Policy) said that the allocation does not mean that the site had to be developed. An application would be decided independently. She said that the allocation sets out that if an application does come forward, it must respond to the sensitives which had been raised.

Councillor Chapman said that they could not see housing in isolation from the broader services needed to help people live quality lives in the city. He said that all of the Councillors meet people in housing distress and if they are going to do anything about that they need to increase the amount of housing being built in the city. He thanked Councillor Hollingsworth and the officers for their work on this report.

Councillor Brown said that the key issue to her were the risks of not having a local plan approved and that they needed to make sure that whatever they put forward can get through. She said that the risks for not having a local plan were significant and it was important that they get through the process.

Councillor Hollingsworth thanked Officers for their work on the plan.

Cabinet resolved to:

1. Recommend Council to approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 document for public consultation; 
2. Recommend Council to approve all the supporting statutory documentation including the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation 18 October 2019 . Assessment, Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP), Policies Map and Equalities Impact Assessment;
3. Recommend Council to authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any necessary minor editorial corrections to the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045, IDP, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment, Policies Map, and to agree the supporting evidence base prior to going out to consultation.
4. Recommend Council to authorise, following publication, the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any minor changes to the document deemed necessary as a result of the consultation.
5. Recommend Council to authorise submission of the Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for examination, following Regulation 19 consultation and any minor amendments made according to recommendation 3 or 4 and subject to there being no matters raised in the consultation that are considered to materially impact upon the Plan strategy. 
6. Recommend Council to authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to invite the examining inspector(s) to recommend any modifications considered to be necessary in accordance with section 20(7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.