Oxford: Chiefs making decisions on plans for new homes

This comes after the Planning Inspectorate issued the decision at the end of September. 

Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown addressed the issue at the full city council meeting on Monday, October 7. 

She said: “This is the first time we have met since we heard the devastating news that our local plan is to be delayed. 

“We are still digesting the information and deciding on the next steps. The planning inspector failed to grasp the seriousness of Oxford's housing crisis and the number of homes we need to address the housing crisis. 

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Susan Brown (Image: Contributed) “The logical outcome of the inspectors' decision will be a delay to proactively plan for the homes we need. The reality is that while city councils are builders, there are others who are blockers. 

“Waiting for a situation where all councils in Oxfordshire are in a position where housing numbers and cross boundary matters are agreed is just not realistic. 

“That is why thankfully our new government is planning the reintroduction of mandatory housing targets. Our approach to the number of houses we need has not changed since our last successful local plan. The way in which we carried out that test has changed but not the need for a larger number of housing than the standard test.

"Yet this time we are being told there are no exceptional circumstances and that we should continue to use the current standard method.

"This would mean fewer homes being built, far fewer than we actually need. And it's actually a u-turn from our last local plan when inspectors agreed Oxfordshire's exceptional circumstances justified the need for new homes.”

Ms Brown added: “A duty to co-operate is not a duty to agree. While the council strongly disputes the inspectors' findings, the National Planning Framework gives us no way to appeal the findings. 

“We also think the inspectors have failed to read the room on planning reform. We will continue to explore all options open to us to ensure we can build the houses Oxford so desperately needs. We wish to continue to be builders of homes, not blockers.”

The Planning Inspectorate's decision was welcomed by many campaign groups across Oxford. 

Suzanne McIvor, of Need Not Greed Oxfordshire (NNGO), said: “We are pleased to see that the Oxford Inspectors have rejected use of the HENA which Oxford City Council (and the previous administration of Cherwell) sought to use to justify yet more exaggerated housing targets. 

“However, a note of caution: the government's proposed new Standard Method produces higher housing targets throughout Oxfordshire so we can still expect huge housing growth. The Oxford Green Belt remains at risk.”