Council delivers progress on affordable homes and infrastructure as planning work continues for West Oxfordshire’s future

The AMR highlights the Council’s work to ensure growth is supported by the right infrastructure. Over £2.1 million was secured through planning obligations in 2024/25, with more than £1.1 million invested in community infrastructure. A major milestone was the adoption of the Council’s first Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule in October 2025, which will come into effect in January 2026 and will raise additional money for infrastructure as well as providing greater flexibility and transparency in how infrastructure is funded. 

Over 150 affordable homes were completed during the year, including homes for affordable and social rent, making up more than half of all new housing delivered. This proportion exceeds Local Plan requirements and reflects the Council’s ongoing commitment to meeting local housing needs. Planning permission was also granted for nearly 700 new homes, including 450 at East Witney. 

Whilst the report shows that 300 homes were built during 2024/25, the Council is currently unable to demonstrate a five-year land supply – a national planning requirement.  

This is due to some larger sites progressing more slowly than originally anticipated. This includes the Salt Cross development that has been subject to a lengthy legal process, a site in Chipping Norton that uncovered significant roman and iron age remains and other developments that have taken years for planning permissions to be submitted by developers. The Council continues to do all it can within its powers to manage delivery and work with the developers of those sites  to encourage delivery.  

Cllr Hugo Ashton, Executive Member for Planning, said: 
“We’ve seen strong delivery of affordable homes, continued investment in infrastructure, and major progress on planning policy, and that’s something we should be proud of. But we know that some of the strategic sites in the current Local Plan have not come forward as quickly as expected, and as a result, we are not currently able to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land. 

“Our current plan, agreed in 2018, is not delivering either the homes or infrastructure we need and that’s why the new Local Plan is so important. It gives us the opportunity to update our strategy, respond to the challenges we face, and put in place stronger policies that ensure the right homes are delivered, in the right places, with the right infrastructure. And while this report shows we’re already making headway, with our new Local Plan in place, we can go further to deliver the kind of growth our communities expect and deserve.” 

Alongside housing and infrastructure delivery, the Council continues to advance work on its new Local Plan to 2043. Following earlier consultations in summer, a second Regulation 18 ‘Preferred Spatial Options consultation’ is now open and running until 22 December. The consultation gives local people the chance to have their say on early proposals for where future housing, infrastructure, employment and nature recovery could be located.  

Other highlights from the monitoring year include: 

• Approval of the Salt Cross Area Action Plan which the Council expects to formally adopt in January 2026, paving the way for the delivery of a new fully net-zero, sustainable community. 

• Establishing West Oxfordshire’s first biodiversity land bank to support nature recovery and net gain 

• Approval of 2,500m² of new employment floorspace to support local economic growth 

• Progressing construction of the Shores Green junction improvement in Witney 

• Continued investment in town centres, with low vacancy rates in Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton 

• Invested £1.1 million in community infrastructure improvements using developer contributions 

• Representing local voices by partaking in discussions around the Botley West solar farm 

• Continued support for neighbourhood planning, with 10 ‘made’ Neighbourhood Development Plans and 8 more in progress 

The Annual Monitoring Report is available to view on the Council’s website. Its findings will help shape the new Local Plan and support the Council’s ambition to ensure West Oxfordshire remains a well-planned, prosperous and sustainable place to live.