Residents invited to comment on potential future locations for housing and business growth in West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire District Council is inviting residents, businesses, community groups and stakeholders to help shape where future growth should happen across the district, as it launches the next major stage of public consultation for the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2043.
The Preferred Spatial Options Consultation, running from 3 November to 22 December 2025, sets out a range of potential locations where new homes, employment sites, nature recovery areas, and supporting infrastructure could be provided. The Council is seeking views from residents before any sites are selected for inclusion in the draft Local Plan, which will be published for a further, final period of consultation in spring next year.
Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said:
“We all want West Oxfordshire to thrive, with cost effective and energy efficient homes, local jobs, protected natural landscapes, and communities supported by the infrastructure they need. This consultation is about making that vision real, and it’s one of the most important opportunities yet for residents to help shape the future of their district.
“The potential locations we’re putting forward are initial proposals, not final choices. We’re asking for your views before we make any decisions, so we can get the balance right between growth, affordability and protecting what we value most. We’ve learned from the past that sustainable communities don’t just happen; they need proper planning and the right infrastructure from the start.
“We’ve asked for your feedback at every stage so far, and it’s really helped to shape the plan we’re developing. Now we want to hear from you again to help guide where future growth should happen and ensure it delivers lasting benefits for the people of West Oxfordshire.”
Councillor Hugo Ashton, Executive Member for Planning, added:
“It's important to understand that this isn’t a draft plan yet, and at this stage nothing has been decided. We’re consulting now because we want people to help shape the choices ahead, before firm decisions are made.
“The challenges are significant. The Government requires us to plan for around 905 new homes each year. Allowing for some contingency, this means identifying land for roughly 18,000 homes by 2043. Responding to this means increasing the district’s housing stock by a third in that period. That’s a big responsibility, and we must do it in a way that meets local needs and supports sustainable, well-connected communities.
“This consultation is our chance to take a more joined-up approach; planning growth alongside the infrastructure, services and investment it depends on. The new Local Plan will give us a stronger voice to secure that investment, from transport corridors such as the A40 to schools, healthcare and utilities, and to hold developers and other organisations to account for delivering what our communities need.
“Our aim is to create a fairer, greener and more sustainable future for West Oxfordshire, one that manages growth responsibly and protects the qualities that make our district such a special place to live.”
Feedback from this consultation will directly inform the preparation of the first full draft of the Local Plan which is expected to be consulted on next year – likely around late spring to allow time for proper consideration. Residents will get another opportunity to have their say on that draft plan before it is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for approval.
Residents are encouraged to explore the proposals and share their views on the Council's website.
A series of public drop-in events will also take place in-person across the district in November and December, providing an opportunity to speak directly with planning officers and councillors, ask questions, and share feedback in person. The full list of events is listed below:
|
Date |
Venue |
Time |
|
Tuesday 11 November |
Chipping Norton (Glyme Hall) |
4-7pm |
|
Thursday 13 November |
Tackley (Village Memorial Hall) |
6-9pm |
|
Tuesday 18 November |
Witney (Corn Exchange) |
5-8pm |
|
Thursday 20 November |
Long Hanborough (Recreation Hall) |
4-7pm |
|
Tuesday 25 November |
Brize Norton (Elderbank Hall extension) |
4-7pm |
|
Wednesday 26 November |
Bampton (Village Hall) |
4-7pm |
|
Tuesday 2 December |
Milton Under Wychwood (Village Hall) |
4.30-7.30pm |
|
Tuesday 9 December |
Standlake (Village Hall) |
4-7pm |
Contact Information
West Oxfordshire District Council Communications Team
Notes to editors
The new Local Plan will provide a framework for how West Oxfordshire grows and changes in the period up to 2043, ensuring that development happens in the right places, supported by the right infrastructure. It will address the district’s long-term needs for housing, employment, transport, and community facilities, while helping to tackle the climate and ecological emergency and protect the area’s distinctive landscapes and character.
The Preferred Spatial Options consultation will seek public feedback on four key areas:
- Extending the Plan period: Whether to move the end date from 2041 to 2043 to ensure a 15-year period post-adoption in line with national policy. This would raise the housing requirement to 16,290 homes, with an overall supply target of around 18,000 to provide flexibility.
- Revised settlement hierarchy: Following feedback from previous consultations, the revised hierarchy responds to residents’ concerns and proposes to group towns and villages in a more logical way that better reflects the character and capacity of each place. As part of this, views will also be sought on the most appropriate levels of growth to plan for at each ‘tier’ of the hierarchy.
- Previously allocated sites: How to address existing allocations yet to be delivered — including Salt Cross Garden Village, West Eynsham, and sites at Witney and Carterton. The aim is to refresh and update those allocations to take account of relevant changes in circumstance since the previous Local Plan was adopted in 2018.
- New potential development areas: Considering options for future housing and employment growth, focusing on strategic-scale locations at Carterton and Witney, alongside smaller opportunities at Long Hanborough, Bampton, Standlake, Burford, Charlbury and Tackley. The Carterton Area Strategy sits within this wider approach, aiming to ensure sustainable growth supported by the right infrastructure from the outset.
The required housing supply will come from a mix of sources: around 2,330 homes from existing planning permissions once non-delivery is factored in; approximately 2,250 from smaller “windfall” sites that typically come forward over time; a further 5,375 from allocations already identified in the current Local Plan 2031, including major sites such as Salt Cross Garden Village, North Witney, East Chipping Norton, West Eynsham and the REEMA sites; and around 8,000 homes that will need to be identified through new allocations.
The Council has previously run 3 consultations covering:
- Initial Scoping Consultation (Aug–Oct 2022)
Sought early views on the priorities and issues the new Local Plan should address.
Read the summary.
- Focused Consultation on Objectives & Options (Aug–Oct 2023)
Asked for views on draft objectives, development patterns and ideas for growth, and a call for sites. Read the summary.
- Preferred Policy Options Consultation (Jun–Aug 2025)
Asked for feedback on proposed policy approaches to things like climate, infrastructure, economic development, and nature recovery; a set of revised objectives; and a proposed vision for the district. Read the summary.