Local Plan consultation feedback to shape full draft plan for West Oxfordshire

The report sets out what residents, businesses, town and parish councils and other stakeholders told the Council during the consultation held in November - December 2025. It also explains how that feedback will shape the preparation of the full draft Local Plan, which will be published for further consultation in early summer 2026. 

The new Local Plan will guide how the district grows up to 2043, including where new homes, jobs, infrastructure and services should be delivered. The Council has run four public consultations on the plan so far, making sure residents have had their views heard at every stage. The development of the plan has responded to the feedback received from each consultation. 

The latest consultation, which covered potential sites for housing and employment, generated over 2100 responses. Clear and consistent themes included: 

• A clear desire that infrastructure, especially roads, transport schools, health services and utilities, must be delivered alongside development. 

• Support for genuinely affordable homes that meet local needs, and the need to balance this with protecting local character and community identity. 

• The need to protect the countryside, landscape character, habitats and green spaces, while also planning for nature recovery and climate-resilient design. 

There were also varied views about where growth should be located, with some respondents supporting development in larger settlements, and others emphasising the need to carefully consider impacts on smaller villages and rural areas. 

Cllr Hugo Ashton, Executive Member for Planning, said: 

“We’re extremely grateful to everyone who took the time to respond. In this stage of consultation, we asked people to comment on potential locations for future development, and we know that can feel very personal for communities.  

“We’ve received detailed and thoughtful feedback. This summary report is about openness, showing clearly what people have told us which we will reflect on as we prepare the full draft plan. 

“No final decisions have been made, and responses will now inform further technical work and refinement before the draft Local Plan is published.” 

Under national planning policy, the Council must plan for around 905 homes per year, which equates to a total housing need of around 18,000 homes over the plan period. 

Existing planning permissions and sites already allocated, including Salt Cross Garden Village and other strategic sites, account for around half of the homes required. However, around 8,000 additional homes still need to be planned for over the remainder of the plan period. 

Cllr Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, said: 

“We recognise that the scale of housing we are required to plan for is challenging. But not having a plan is not an option. Without an up-to-date Local Plan in place, planning decisions are more likely to be made through speculative applications, leaving us with less control over infrastructure and community benefits. 

“Our responsibility is to make sure that growth is properly planned, ensure new homes come forward with the right supporting infrastructure, protect what makes West Oxfordshire special, and respond to the climate and ecological emergency. 

“I’m glad to see that our residents’ feedback reflects our priorities for the right infrastructure, truly affordable homes and protecting our environment. It shows our approach to consulting with, and listening to residents is making sure we address the priorities of this district.” 

The consultation responses will now feed into further technical work, including transport modelling, infrastructure planning, viability assessment and environmental studies. 

The Council will move towards the next stage of plan-making, Regulation 19, which will present the full draft Local Plan for public consultation in early summer 2026. This will set out detailed policies and proposed site allocations, taking into account consultation feedback and updated evidence. 

Residents and stakeholders will again have the opportunity to comment before the Plan is submitted for independent examination.