Draft Local Plan seeks to take more Green Belt

The ‘emerging draft Cherwell Local Plan 2040’ has been published and will be discussed at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which meets at 6.30 pm on Weds 11^th January.

We are VERY disappointed
It seems Cherwell intends to accept excessive growth and is willing to provide yet more houses for Oxford City’s expansionIn doing so, it is following a strategic path largely rejected by the other three Oxfordshire Districts.

From a Kidlington perspective, the main immediate concerns are:

1. a new strategic housing allocation at Kidlington on Green Belt land north of the Moors
2. further loss of Green Belt around the village (contrary to national policy) 
3. failure to designate the Local Green Spaces proposed by KDW for Kidlington
4. the overall excessive level of growth (housing growth in particular the plan proposes a total housing requirement of almost 1500 dwellings per annum (dpa), including a “contingency” and some provision for Oxford. This is double the Standard Method requirement in current national policy).

Apologies, the proposal for land N of the Moors would see about two thirds of the fields given over to development and one third (nearest the Church remain undeveloped.