Cherwell Local Plan

The current Cherwell Local Plan, drawn up by Cherwell District Council, was approved in 2015 and provides the framework for planning and growth across the whole District from 2011 up to 2031 (https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/83/local-plans/376/adopted-cherwell-local-plan-2011-2031-part-1).

The District Council is now carrying out a major Cherwell Local Plan Review process to bring the plan up to date, to reflect new national policies and to look ahead to the future. The new Plan is intended to cover the period at least to 2040.

A detailed “Options Paper” was published for public consultation in September 2021 (https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/83/local-plans/729/planning-for-cherwell—local-plan-review/3).  The many responses to this are still being assessed by the District Council.

Hanwell Parish Council submitted detailed comments on a range of planning issues, notably the potential harmful impacts of new housing estates north of Banbury on the character and setting of Hanwell village (https://hanwellvillage.com/planned-developments/).

The Parish Council supports the policy to keep the village in the lowest category of settlement – ie with no new building apart from small infill sites and conversions – which is likely to continue, as Hanwell lacks the local facilities to support new development.

The Parish Council is not preparing a “Neighbourhood Plan” as little change is expected within the village for the foreseeable future. The Conservation Area designation for Hanwell village provides a number of planning policies to control development.

The next stage of the Local Plan Review is expected in October/November 2022 when the Draft Plan itself will be published for public consultation.

The remaining stages to final approval and adoption of the new Local Plan should take place in 2023 – 24.

The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended) Regulation 25: Publication of the Report into the Independent Examination of the Submission Cherwell Local Plan

The Inspector’s Report on the Examination of the Submission Cherwell Local Plan has been received, and is available for inspection. Please note that this is a notification of the publication of the Inspector’s report and not a consultation.

The Inspector’s assessment, his recommendations and his reasons for his recommendations are contained within the Report and appended Schedule of Main Modifications.

The Report is available on the Council’s website: www.cherwell.gov.uk/LocalPlanExamination.

Hard copies are also available at the locations below during opening hours

 View the full list of locations and how to purchase copies here.

Much has happened since the last update, and the news is not good for those of us who were hoping that the proposed housing sites would be determined through a rigorous, independent Examination in Public of the final Local Plan.

In June Cherwell decided to take three of the contentious planning applications north of Banbury to the Planning Committee with recommendations of approval. This was done without any warning. Despite strong objections from Hanwell Parish and many others to the way this has been done, the following have now been granted outline permission by the Committee:

An application for the remaining land North of Hanwell Fields (which links to the Persimmon site and could accommodate a further 160) has yet to be submitted..

In July the Planning Committee then granted approval for: Bloor Homes for 400 houses at West of Edinburgh Way – ref 13/00444/OUT

In August the site for 300 houses West of Warwick Road (near Drayton school) proposed by Miller Homes – 13/00656/OUT – was actually refused, although this seems more acceptable than the others. Miller Homes have now lodged an appeal.

At this rate it seems that the massive consultation process for the Local Plan since 2008 – and particularly the recent Reconsultation based on new evidence – has been pointless. Many feel angry and badly let down by the process. Most of the contentious sites have now been approved before the Plan has even gone back to the Executive. All this seems to fly in the face of natural justice. This has been pointed out in the strongest terms to Cherwell but the Council has argued that the shortfalls in local housing supply dictate that these housing sites should not be delayed.

STOP PRESS
A major report on the Local Plan was considered by the Council’s Executive on the 7th October. The Councillors have been recommended to ratify all the previous housing proposals (which in the meantime have all been give permission). This final version of the Plan will go to Full Council on 21st October, before being sent to the Secretary of State to arrange the Examination in Public, presumably to be held in 2014. It is very disappointing to report that the extensive comments submitted on behalf of Hanwell Parish have had little or no influence, and very little debate took place.

As most of the proposed housing sites north of Banbury are now a fait accompli, the next stage will be for the developers to submit applications to sort out the details.

A public meeting is to be held in the Village Hall on 8th May (with the Annual Parish Meeting) to update residents on the Local Plan Reconsultation. The aim is to outline the current housing proposals which will affect Hanwell and the area to the north of Banbury, and to summarise the Parish Council’s response to the District Council. This is effectively the last opportunity to influence the direction that development in Banbury will take in the Draft Local Plan which CDC will submit later this year to the Government.

Cherwell District Council has decided to take the unusual step of carrying out a Reconsultation on the controversial Banbury housing allocations. The consultation will run from 28th March to 23rd May. On 4th March the Executive considered a report on the Draft Local Plan published in August 2012, which summarised the outcome of those consultations and the latest supporting evidence. Most of the Plan is to remain unchanged. However, among the limited number of alterations, identifying future housing sites for Banbury is to be subject to a further round of public consultation.

The bad news for Hanwell village is that, despite strong objections, the District Council is still proposing the three major housing sites north of Banbury. In summary, the new proposals are:

Miller Homes are also promoting their site at Drayton/ Warwick Road for 300 houses. In all there might be 1,400 new houses north of the town – more than the 1,000 currently at Hanwell Fields itself.

“Green Buffers” are being proposed between for example Hanwell and the new developments, to protect the identity of settlements, vulnerable gaps between the built up limits of Banbury and neighbouring villages, and valuable landscape features.

There are no moves by Cherwell to re-consider the main alternative site, ie the extensive land south of the town at Salt Way/Wykham Lane, which is to be protected from development.

Hanwell Parish Council has already written to Cherwell to express its deep concern at the way these plans are taking shape.
The Parish Council intends to respond to the Reconsultation proposals with strong representations on behalf of the village.

In the meantime, as expected, developers have started to submit planning applications for various housing sites to demonstrate that they can be “delivered” in terms of housebuilding. It will be necessary for Hanwell Parish Council and the public to comment on these in the normal way, despite the Local Plan process going on at the same time. These include:

The consultation period closed on 10th October. Hanwell Parish Council has submitted detailed representations, focussing on:
a) Support for the policy to keep the village as a category C settlement ie with no new building apart from conversions.
b) Objections to the proposed new housing sites north of Hanwell fields.

A separate representation was also submitted on behalf of Hanwell’s Residents based on the letter circulated, which was eventually signed by a total of 104 people. This has helped to show that the village has strong feelings about protecting the village and the open countryside which we are fortunate to have around us. Thanks to all those who put their names to this letter.

What happen’s next? Cherwell District Council will be deciding – possibly in December – whether in the light of the responses they can now proceed with submitting the Local Plan to the Secretary of State. A Planning Inspector will be appointed by him to hold an “Examination in Public”, which will consider the soundness of the Plan prior to its adoption (finally) as the Statutory Development Plan.

Residents should note it is possible that the developers will decide to submit applications for their various housing sites to keep their proposals moving forward. It will be necessary to comment on these in the normal way, despite the Local Plan process going on at the same time.

(Further information can be found on Cherwell’s website under Local Development Framework)

Following the Draft Core Strategy published in May 2010, Cherwell District Council has now completely revised the document and it is now called a “Local Plan” in line with the new Planning guidelines introduced by the Government. The Draft was agreed by the Executive on 28 May and it is likely to be published for public consultation around the end of June. One of the main issues it addresses is a serious shortage of available housing land in Cherwell.

The bad news for Hanwell is that the proposals for Banbury include allocating the site north of Hanwell Fields for 400 houses (the Persimmon site) and allocating two sites at Southam Road at the eastern end of Hanwell Fields for a further 850 houses. With the District Council now favouring development on these sites, it will be a real challenge for the Parish Council to resist expansion to the north of the town.

The deadline for responses to Cherwell District Council’s Draft Core Strategy has now passed. Thank you to all who registered their opinions. It should be possible to view all the submitted comments on Cherwell’s website within four weeks.

The District Council will now have to consider their plan in the light of public responses and the next stage is to publish the final Core Strategy in the autumn of 2010.

On 22 February 2010, Cherwell District Council published its long term planning strategy for Cherwell District to 2026 (called the Draft Core Strategy). Consultation is taking place between 22nd February and 19th April.

As part of the future planning strategy for Banbury, the Council is now proposing two large new housing sites (totalling 800 houses) close to Hanwell, which could have significant impacts on the village and its residents. The Parish Council is very concerned about these plans and has consistently opposed the expansion of Hanwell Fields in the past few years.

Many residents will recall that the Persimmon Homes application to extend Hanwell Fields was refused on appeal in 2007. However, the District Council is now faced with meeting new Government housing targets which means re-considering sites they have previously rejected.

This is a real threat and a real challenge for the village. As residents we have the opportunity to put forward our views on why these proposals would be harmful to Hanwell and the nearby countryside.

A Special Issue of the Hanwell News with details of the housing sites and the implications has been produced and delivered to every home.

An Open Public Meeting was held by the Parish Council to discuss the Draft Core Strategy planning strategy and its impact on Hanwell on Wednesday 7th April with the aim of encouraging villagers to send as many responses as possible to Cherwell District Council before the 19th April deadline.