29 August 2007

The public inquiry into the South East Plan lasted for four months and now the Panel of inspectors has reported. They have found the Plan wanting in many respects. Some newspapers and broadcasters are today are saying the report is "recommending a lower rate of housebuilding growth for the south-east". Lower than Gordon Brown's expectations perhaps, but the Panel's recommendations are still rather higher than those in the South East Plan which was five years in the making. And Oxfordshire is to get a heavy share of the extra growth, including an urban extension south of Grenoble Road with at least 4,000 houses. We are rapidly moving towards two Oxfordshires: "Urban Oxfordshire" based on the Plan's Central Oxfordshire Subregion, and "Rural Oxfordshire"—Banburyshire, Otmoor, the Chilterns and Cotswolds and the Vale.

Planners to Create Two Oxfordshires

The Inspectors's report will split Oxfordshire in two, says the Campaign to Protect Rural England. The creation of a new planning area for Central Oxfordshire, accompanied by a huge boost in housing numbers, will set the heart of the county on the road to becoming a conurbation from Bebroke to Abingdon.

Campaign Manager Andy Boddington says "The impact of today's report will be to severely damage the rural character of the centre of the county. We are rapidly moving towards two Oxfordshires. An "Urban Oxfordshire" based around Oxford and Abingdon and a "Rural Oxfordshire" embracing Banburyshire, Otmoor, the Chilterns and Cotswolds, and the Vale."

The number of houses to be built in the county by 2026 has been increased by government planners from 47,200 to 54,600 (up 7,400; 16%). More than half of these homes are to be built in an urban extension south of Grenoble Road.

Andy Boddington continues: "The government planners have created a Central Oxfordshire Subregion which will contain the lion's share of growth. The planned urban extension into the green belt is the first stage in eroding the gap between Oxford and surrounding settlements. The government has already said that it wants to review these housing numbers next year, so this intrusion into the countryside is likely to be the first of many."

Headlines:

The targets for housing have been raised by 10% across the South East, and by 18% in Central Oxfordshire:

• Central Oxfordshire will get 40,100 houses instead of the 34,000 planned, up 6,100 (17.9%). This is a growth of 2,005 dwellings a year.
• The Rest of Oxfordshire will get 14,500 houses instead of 13,200, up 1,300 (9.8%).
• The South East will get 640,100 houses instead of 578,080, up 62,020 (10.7%).

There will be a “highly focused selective” review of the Green Belt to allow for an urban extension of 4,000 houses south of Grenoble Road.

Further Information

• Full Briefing on the EiP Report
• The EiP Report