Local Plan setback for South and Vale
9th October 2025
The Joint South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2041 has hit a major hurdle. Following the Inspectors’ hearings this summer, we’ve just learned that the Plan has been recommended for withdrawal for failing to meet its Duty to Cooperate.
This is very disappointing news. CPRE Oxfordshire had supported the Plan, which proposed no new development in the Green Belt and included several strong policies to protect our countryside. Its withdrawal means a return to the drawing board – and the risk that new housing targets set out in the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) could now drive pressure for significantly more development, including on areas newly labelled as “Greybelt.”
We’ll be watching developments closely and continuing to press for a Local Plan that protects the Green Belt, respects rural character, and delivers genuinely sustainable communities.