Witney News - Hearing dates set for Local Plan Examination

Hearing dates set for Local Plan Examination

West Oxfordshire District Council's Local Plan examination is underway and dates are set for two separate hearing sessions.

The first session dealing with strategic matters will begin at 10am on Monday 23 November and will run until Thursday 26 November. The second examination session will begin on Wednesday 3 February 2016.

All hearing sessions will be held at the Council's Woodgreen offices in Witney

The District Council formally submitted its draft Local Plan to Government for independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate in July 2015.

Responses were received from around 150 individuals and organisations during the final 6-week consultation stage which was held earlier this year (27 March – 8 May), and all these were submitted for consideration together with the draft Local Plan and a range of supporting documents.

Planning Inspector Mr Simon Emerson BSc DipTP MRTPI has been appointed and he will determine whether or not the plan is 'sound' in light of the representations received and national policy.

Further information on the process and copies of the documents that have been submitted are available on the Council's local plan web page at www.westoxon.gov.uk/localplan2031

Cllr Warwick Robinson, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Housing, said: “We are approaching what we hope will be the conclusion of a Local Plan for West Oxfordshire. Although it has been a long and complex process, we have been very thorough, consulting at each stage, investigating every detail presented to us and providing the evidence needed to support the Plan.

“We have a lot to thank the public for all their representations, contributions and proposals along the way. However, we recognise it will never be possible to produce a Plan that pleases everyone, but we believe that what is being put forward to the Inspector is the best for West Oxfordshire.”