This is an editorial opinion piece which was recently published in The Oxford Times, sister paper of the Oxford Mail.

“This is an embarrassing back-to-the-drawing-board moment for the city council.”

Those are the words of an Oxford city councillor reacting to the news that after months and months of work, the Planning Inspectorate has recommended that the city's latest draft local plan be withdrawn. 

As we report in our front page story this week, this has sent shockwaves across the city. 

Local plans are crucial in making sure enough land is allocated to meet an area's housing targets. Without one, rampant, speculative applications could be submitted by developers looking to make the most of any unused land. 

It's because of local plans that, usually, houses can't be built in the countryside and green belts are protected. 

So it's a big concern that the Planning Inspectorate has said that Oxford's latest draft is 'unsound'.

READ MORE: Oxford campaign group criticises Government's housing targets

However, it's also important to appreciate how much work goes into the creation of a local plan.

It starts with a call for possible sites from landowners on what is called a Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) list. Then, council officers have to assess how many houses are needed and how areas are already developed. With this aspect, a spanner was thrown into the works when the deputy prime minister announced an overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). 

This has changed the housing targets, with many areas having to build more homes each year.

Although for some reason Southampton has managed to get away with having to build fewer. 

In Oxfordshire, each district has seen significant increases. In Oxford city, the target has been set at 1,051 new homes annually – up from the current target of 762 homes a year.

For South Oxfordshire, the proposed target has been set at 1,179 new homes annually – up from the current target of 579 homes a year.

For West Oxfordshire it is 889 new homes annually – up from the current target of 549 homes a year.

And the proposed target for Cherwell has been set at 1,095 new homes annually – up from the current target of 706 homes a year.

At each stage of the local plan, hundreds of pages are produced to show each site proposed, why it was chosen and the number of houses proposed. Or in the case of employment space, the size it would provide. 

Each stage of public consultation will have gone through the council's scrutiny committee, the cabinet and the full council before getting the rubber stamp. 

Therefore, the fact that the Planning Inspectorate has recommended it to be withdrawn must be a massive kick in the teeth.