Issue 3
East Witney Land Consortium
Representor 142
West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2031
Stage 1 Examination
Issue 3 – The Delivery of the Identified Housing Requirement
Statement on behalf of East Witney Land Consortium
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1. Introduction
1.1
This statement is submitted to the Examination into West Oxfordshire’s Local Plan on behalf
of the East Witney Land Consortium (hereafter referred to as EWLC). EWLC is promoting the
land at East Witney which has an allocation for about 400 homes in the Submission Draft
Local Plan.
1.2
This statement refers to Issue 3 –The delivery of the identified housing requirement and the
Inspector’s questions relevant to this issue.
2.
Issue 3: Will the Plan ensure the delivery of the identified housing requirement (10,500 in
Policies H1 and H2) consistent with national policy and guidance for the supply of housing
and local circumstances?
Q3.2
Assuming that they remain allocated in the Plan, is the Council’s expected delivery from
the SDAs reasonable? HLSPS, HOU5, Appendix 3 shows the expected contributions from
these sites within the next 5 years.
2.1
The EWLC are committed to working with the District Council to ensure timely delivery of
the East Witney SDA.
2.2
Appendix 3 to HOU 5 identifies that the Council expects 200 units to be delivered on the East
Witney SDA by 2020. The EWLC believes this rate of delivery may be achievable, but has
indicated in the submitted Statement of Common Ground (Housing Delivery at East Witney
SDA) that the delivery of 150 units by 2020 would be more achievable.
2.3
Policy WIT1 provides for about 400 homes at East Witney. In the aforementioned Statement
of Common Ground, the District Council has acknowledged that subject to the outcome of
more detailed work on landscape impact, surface water run-off and traffic impact, more
than 400 dwellings could be accommodated at East Witney, without necessarily
representing a departure from Policy WIT1.
2.4
The EWLC representations to the Submission Draft Local Plan recommended an amendment
to Policy WIT1, so that the Policy refers to either ‘at least 400 new homes’ or ‘about 500 new
homes’ on the East Witney SDA. These recommended changes would not directly impact
upon the scale of development delivered on the East Witney SDA within the next 5 years.
2.5
The EWLC is working closely with Architekton, an architect developer who specialise in
creating places that celebrate local identity, mixed uses, sustainable communities and
walkable neighbourhoods. Architekton is preparing a masterplan for the East Witney SDA,
which will be discussed with the District Council and made available for Part 2 of the
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Examination Hearing sessions. This work is likely to show that more than 500 dwellings can
be accommodated at East Witney, making a greater contribution to the District’s housing
needs. This will be particularly relevant if following Part 1 of the Examination Hearing
sessions, the Inspector requests that the District Council must target a higher level of
housing delivery.
2.6
Once again, any increase in the overall scale of housing development to be delivered on the
East Witney SDA would not directly impact upon the number of new homes that are
achievable on the East Witney SDA within the next 5 years.
2.7
The aforementioned Statement of Common Ground (Housing Delivery at East Witney SDA)
addresses all other relevant matters in relation to delivery of the East Witney SDA.
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