Theme 3 - Core policies 53 to 61
Cherwell Local Plan Review 2040
Chapter 3 - Theme 3: Building Healthy and Sustainable Communities
Core Policy 53: Public Services and Utilities
3.298. Securing investment in strategic infrastructure such as water, waste, sewerage, electricity and digital connections helps address both current and future needs.
3.299. Gas, electricity and heat supply and investment in electricity infrastructure is provided by the private sector and the Council will continue to work with providers to ensure the necessary services to strategic sites are available. Developers should consult with the relevant utility companies in identifying the infrastructure requirements and constraints to a development site. Developers will need to take account of the location of existing services and will need to contribute financially to their relocation on development sites.
3.300. Thames Water, Anglian Water, and Severn Trent Water provide the majority of the water supply and waste services in the district. The Council will work with the water companies to plan the delivery of specific projects. The County Council are the Planning Authority for waste-water services in the County. The management and disposal of waste-water and sewage sludge is contained within Policy W10 of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 Core Strategy. Planning application for waste-water treatment are also determined by the County Council in consultation with the district. The Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan is part of the development plan, against which the District Council must consider planning applications.
3.301. The internet provides an opportunity to reduce the need to travel as recommended in the County Council’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan. Good internet connectivity means that location is increasingly less important for businesses and enables greater possibilities for home-working. The Local Plan therefore recognises the role of the internet and seeks to promote it as a means of reducing the need to travel and supporting the economy. The provision of high-speed broadband will support new and relocating businesses as well as facilitating home-working for residents.
3.302. Increasing provision of gigabit capable broadband coverage across the district in line with the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire Programme will help deliver the rollout of next-generation mobile broadband particularly in rural areas. Development proposals will ensure there are connections to a number of internet providers offering high speed broadband and the latest mobile data connectivity where possible.
3.303. Oxfordshire currently has good levels of superfast broadband connectivity. Between 2014 and 2021 the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire programme has increased superfast broadband availability from 69% to 98% of premises across the county. In March 2022, approximately 22% of premises in the county had full fibre connectivity. The digital infrastructure program aims to achieve 99% superfast coverage and 23.5% gigabit capable coverage by the end of 2022.
3.304. We will ensure the provision of gigabit capable broadband connectivity to all new developments, and supports network enhancements including supporting infrastructure, to provide high speed broadband to all existing homes and businesses in the district. It is essential that the strategic site allocations provide appropriate infrastructure to ensure all properties can be connected to high-speed broadband without any further works post development.
Core Policy 53: Public Services and Utilities
The Council will support proposals that involve new or improvements to public services/utilities if they are required to enable the delivery of sites and where they accord with other relevant policies in the Development Plan.
The Council will work with Oxfordshire County Council and others to promote faster, more reliable and more comprehensive coverage of electronic communications and allow businesses and residents to access services and information more effectively, thereby helping to reduce the need to travel.
All new developments will be required to demonstrate that the necessary infrastructure is in place or will be provided to enable access to high-speed broadband and mobile data connectivity from a range of providers.
Core Policy 54: Local Services and Community Facilities
3.305. Local services and community facilities make a significant contribution towards the health, wellbeing, social, educational, spiritual, recreational, leisure and cultural needs of the community. They also assist in maintaining healthy and inclusive communities, sustainable travel patterns and local employment opportunities. Such facilities include town, village and neighbourhood shops, post offices, pubs, community centres and halls, theatres and museums, sports and leisure facilities, schools, libraries, doctor’s surgeries and health centres, places of worship and other facilities which meet people’s day to day needs.
3.306. The sustainability and social cohesion of our communities can be harmed when these facilities are lost, particularly in the rural areas.
3.307. In recognition of this, the Government, through the Localism Act, has introduced the Community Right to Bid whereby communities can apply for services and facilities which further the wellbeing or social interest of the local community to be listed as Assets of Community Value. We will have regard to these designations when considering planning proposals for a change of use.
3.308. We will resist the loss of local services and community facilities. In considering such proposals, the Council, in consultation with the local community, will take into account the importance of the facility to the local community particularly in meeting day to day needs.
3.309. To justify the loss of facilities, it will need to be demonstrated that they are no longer viable and are no longer required because equivalent or alternative provision will remain, or will be provided to meet local needs.
3.310. For commercially run facilities such as local shops and pubs, the Council considers that a robust marketing exercise is the most transparent way of demonstrating that such facilities are no longer viable. This allows local communities to consider making a bid to run or acquire premises of value through the Community Right to Bid.
3.311. In seeking to justify the loss of local services or community facilities, applicants will also be required to consider whether existing premises or sites can be adapted to retain a viable community facility or service. In the case of the potential loss of any healthcare facilities, the Council will have regard to relevant circumstances including any programme of modernisation/rationalisation by the NHS.
3.312. In 2016/2017 the Council commissioned a ‘Cherwell Community Spaces and Development Study (CCSDS) to provide evidence and policy proposals to inform community development and community indoor space provision in relation to new housing developments. The CCSDS Study recommended a local minimum standard of provision for community hall facilities required to meet the needs of residents generated by new development. That minimum standard is 0.185m2 per person. The Study also supported the value of having a Community Development Worker available at an early stage in a new development to ‘kick start’ the process of bringing people together, developing new activities and putting in place the building blocks of a strong community. We will therefore seek financial contributions towards the provision of a community activation fund and community development worker for its strategic allocations.
3.313. We will apply this standard to all residential developments of 10 or more dwellings which generate a requirement for additional or improved community hall provision. This may include financial contributions and/or the provision of land and buildings to enable new community facilities to be provided or for existing facilities to be extended or improved.
Core Policy 54: Local Services and Community Facilities
The Council will support the provision of community facilities to enhance the sustainability of communities, and will encourage partnership working to ensure that provision is maintained to meet the needs of local communities by:
i. Protecting and enhancing the quality of existing facilities;
ii. Improving access to existing facilities, and
iii. Ensuring that development proposals contribute towards the provision of new or improved facilities where the development would generate a need which cannot be met by existing provision.
Development proposals that would result in the loss of community facilities and services will only be supported where it can be clearly shown that:
iv. Appropriate alternative provision of at least equivalent suitability and accessibility, particularly by foot, will remain, and
v. In the case of pubs, shops and other commercially run services and facilities, the existing use is no longer viable and is incapable of being made viable or adapted to retain a viable service or facility including as a community run enterprise. A robust marketing exercise will be required to demonstrate that the use or premises is unviable in accordance with separate guidance published by the Council.
In considering development proposals for the loss of local services and community facilities, the Council will have regard to whether a site or facility is registered as an Asset of Community Value.
Development Policy 5: Hot Food Takeaways
3.314. We are committed to improving health and well-being outcomes for its local residents, and to reduce health inequalities. One of the challenges we face in promoting healthy eating is the availability of foods high in fat, salt and sugar in local neighbourhoods, including the prevalence of hot food takeaways in some areas. We will therefore support opportunities for communities to access a wider choice of healthier food options and resist the proliferation of particular types of hot food takeaways in inappropriate locations, such as adjacent to schools and playgrounds.
3.315. Hot food takeaways also have the potential to cause nuisance to nearby residents due to general activity, particularly during the late evening, cooking odours, increased traffic movements and litter.
3.316. To minimise the likelihood of disturbance, hot food takeaways will be resisted in predominantly residential areas unless the premises are situated within a neighbourhood shopping centre or other commercial frontage. Even in those situations, permission may be refused if an existing residential property is likely to experience nuisance. In predominantly residential areas, we will seek to impose planning conditions to limit the late-night opening hours of hot food takeaways.
3.317. Proposals for hot food takeaways in Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington town/village centres are likely to be acceptable without restriction on hours of opening unless the proximity of existing residential property is such that any restriction would be justified in order to protect residential amenity.
Development Policy 5: Hot Food Takeaways
Proposals for hot food takeaways will only be permitted provided they:
i. Would not result in significant harm to the amenity of local residents, or highway safety;
ii. Would not result in harmful cumulative impacts because of any existing or consented outlets in the immediate vicinity, and
iii. The proposal is not located within a five-minute walk of a school or playground, unless within an established local shopping centre.
Core Policy 55: Open Space, Sport and Recreation
3.318. The responsibility for the provision of open space, sport and recreation facilities in the district is shared between ourselves, Oxfordshire County Council, local town and parish councils, education providers, and private sports clubs and associations. We will continue to work with these partners to deliver the required facilities to meet the needs of our communities.
3.319. Well designed, attractive and functional open space, including allotments and other community food growing schemes are essential for health and wellbeing, as well as the creation and maintenance of attractive, strong and vibrant communities. It can also play a role in biodiversity enhancement and mitigating the negative effects of climate change.
3.320. Our existing evidence, which is based on surveys undertaken in 2018, for open space and play provision recommended that the standards for play space set out in our 2015 Plan should be retained. This evidence is being reviewed and will inform the next stage of the Local Plan.
3.321. Our emerging Playing Pitch Strategy identifies shortfalls of provision to meet quantitative needs for football, rugby union and hockey (both natural grass pitches and artificial grass pitches) and recommends qualitative improvements to pitches for all pitch sports and associated facilities. It also identifies capacity shortfalls, particularly for tennis facilities.
3.322. Initial indications from the 2022 Built Facilities Study are that there is a requirement to continue to invest in indoor and built facilities in Cherwell. There is at least a need for new provision in the Bicester area in order to support expected population growth. This could take the form of an expansion of the existing leisure centre provision.
3.323. There is also a requirement for a long-term plan to replace/refurbish/possibly extend the swimming pool facilities at Kidlington and Gosford leisure centre.
3.324. All development proposals should investigate and maximise opportunities to enhance open space, play, sport and recreation facilities, particularly in areas of deficiency in quantity and quality. Where it is not feasible or appropriate to deliver new provision on site, new development can help to enhance existing provision locally.
3.325. All proposals, where appropriate, will be required to comply with the Council’s local standards for the provision of open space as set out in Table 10 or any subsequent updates.
3.326. The minimum size of provision and thresholds for on-site provision are intended to act as a guide to developers. The precise composition of the provision will depend on the details of the proposal and its location. For example, combined play area schemes or other innovative proposals may be preferable to the provision of LAPs, LEAPs and NEAPs in some cases.
3.327. The underlying principles are that all new dwellings should contribute towards the provision of open space. Where on-site provision is not achievable or appropriate a financial contribution will be sought from developers towards the improvement of provision elsewhere in the locality. It may also be appropriate to seek green space provision or a contribution towards such provision in association with non-residential development.
3.328. In addition, we encourage developers to design schemes that provide ‘play friendly’ environments, such as pocket parks and play streets. Such schemes will need to be considered at the initial design stage and we will take measures to ensure that well maintained, attractive and safe environments for children’s play.
| Type of Provision | Accessibility Standard |
Minimum Size of Provision | Threshold for On-site Provision |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Play space
|
5 minutes walk (400m)
|
LAP – 100m2 activity zone; LEAP – 400m2 activity zone; NEAP – 1000m2 activity zone; In some cases a combined all-age area of |
10 dwellings
50 dwellings
100 dwellings
|
| General green space (parks and gardens, natural and semi natural/amenity green space) |
5 minute walk (amenity open space) (400m) 15 minute walk other (1200m) |
200m2
|
10 urban dwellings 6 rural dwellings |
| Allotments/ Community Gardens |
10 minute walk (800m) | 0.2 ha | 275 dwellings |
3.329. The requirements from developments for new sports and recreation provision will be based on the Council’s up to date evidence in conjunction with the Sport England’s Playing Pitch Demand Calculator. This calculates a development’s playing pitch requirements, associated costs for providing the required pitches and associated ancillary facilities (such as changing rooms and car parking) to meet the demand generated by the development.
3.330. Similarly, the requirements for built sports facilities will be assessed using Sport England’s Built Facilities calculator and local evidence.
3.331. Sport England will be consulted on proposals which would result in the loss of sports and recreation facilities.
Core Policy 55: Open Space, Sport and Recreation
All open spaces, sport and recreation facilities will be protected and where necessary enhanced to ensure access to a network of high-quality sport, play and recreation provision within the district.
The loss of open spaces, sports, play and recreation provision, will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that:
i. An assessment has been undertaken which clearly shows the provision and the function it performs is surplus to requirements, or
ii. The loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable, accessible location within the local catchment area, or
iii. The development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss.
New development is required to maximise opportunities to incorporate new publicly accessible, high quality and multi-functional open space and/or, where appropriate, enhance existing provision commensurate to the need generated by the proposals.
In determining the nature of new or improved sports and recreation provision the Council will be guided by the most up to date evidence and Sports England’s Playing Pitch and Built Facilities Calculators. The Council will also consult with Town and Parish Councils, together with potential users wherever possible, to ensure the provision meets local needs.
The Council will require children’s play, and general green space to meet the minimum standards set out in Table 10.
Where it can be clearly demonstrated that proposals are not able to incorporate new provision or enhance existing provision to serve the new community, then an appropriate financial contribution may be requested, where such contributions will provide alternative or enhanced and conveniently accessible off-site open space provision.
Development proposals on open space will only be permitted where it:
iv. Improves the quality of the open space and promotes inclusive access to a wide range of users and recreational interests;
v. Is demonstrably ancillary to the use of open space and its primary function, e.g., play/sports fields;
vi. Contributes to both the character and amenity of the area and are appropriate and proportionate to the function and nature of the open space, and
vii. Does not have a detrimental impact on the environmental function of the open space.
Maintenance plans should be submitted at planning application stage for all new facilities to ensure their long-term quality and management.
Core Policy 56: Local Green Space
3.332. Local Green Space designation affords local communities the opportunity to identify and protect green spaces of particular importance to them, subject to criteria being met as set out in national policy.
3.333. Once designated, the level of protection given to Local Green Space is similar to that given to the Green Belt, thereby preventing inappropriate development other than in very special circumstances.
3.334. There are a number of existing designated Local Green Spaces in the district that have been created by Neighbourhood Plans. We will continue to encourage future Neighbourhood Plans to consider whether it is appropriate to designate further local green spaces.
3.335. Several proposals for Local Green Space have been received through the preparation of this plan and these have been evaluated against the criteria contained in Government guidance.
3.336. Local Green Space does not have to be publicly accessible, or in public ownership, and designation does not confer any rights of public access. However, it is important that development proposals do not compromise the community value of a space, and that opportunities are taken to enhance any community use of the site wherever possible.
Question26: Would you like to propose any sites for consideration as Local Green Spaces?
Core Policy 56: Local Green Space
Development will not be permitted within a designated Local Green Space unless consistent with the national policy approach to development within the Green Belt. Inappropriate development within a designated Local Green Space will not be permitted except in very special circumstances.
The following sites are identified as Local Green Space as shown on the Policies Map and Appendix 7:
- Derwent Green - Bicester
- Gavray Drive - Bicester
- Langford – Bicester
The community value of a designated Local Green Space should be maintained and where appropriate, enhanced through improvements in access and community use, whilst also protecting the character of the space.
Any new development adjacent to a designated publicly accessible Local Green Space should provide active frontages to facilitate natural surveillance, as well as maintaining access points and the use of sensitive boundary treatments.
Core Policies 57 to 59: Historic Environment and Archaeology
3.337. The conservation of our historic environment is key to protecting and enhancing the character of the district and ensuring that it continues to be an attractive place to live and work.
3.338. The district enjoys an extremely rich and varied historic environment, which contributes significantly to its culture, economy and tourism. This historic environment is not just limited to our built environment and archaeological sites, but also includes landscapes identified because of their history, archaeological, architectural, cultural or artistic interest.
3.339. Our 1995 Cherwell District Landscape Assessment identified four distinct landscape character areas in the district, with each displaying distinct settlement patterns, building materials and vernacular architecture to create a strong, locally distinctive urban and rural environment.
3.340. Throughout Cherwell, there are numerous designated heritage assets that enjoy statutory protection. These include approximately 2,300 Listed Buildings, 60 Conservation Areas, 38 Scheduled Monuments and 11 nationally recognised registered parks and gardens that fall fully or partially within the district, and one historic civil war battlefield. The district also contains over 200 recorded archaeological sites. In some areas the MOD’s presence has influenced the built environment with Bicester Airfield and the former RAF Upper Heyford recognised as being of national historic importance. The Oxford Canal Conservation Area runs north-south through the district.
3.341. In addition, there are many non-designated heritage assets, which although not having statutory protection, represent an important aspect of the district’s heritage and play a significant role in defining the local character of our towns, villages and countryside. Not all significant heritage assets are formally designated, and nationally important non-designated heritage assets are of equal importance to designated heritage assets such as schedule monuments and listed buildings.
3.342. Non-designated heritage assets of particular local importance are known as Local Heritage Assets (LHA’s), these include built structures formerly known as ‘locally listed’ buildings and significant landscape features such as village ponds. Many Local Heritage Assets have been identified as important within Conservation Area Appraisals. We anticipate that more examples will be identified as we undertake further appraisals and local communities, and other stakeholders will continue to have a role in identifying heritage assets.
3.343. Details of non-designated heritage assets, Local Heritage Assets, locally important historic parks and gardens, archaeological sites and find spots, are held on the Oxfordshire Historic Environment Record (HER).
3.344. Conserving and enhancing the historic environment is a critically important part of sustainable development and a key element of this Local Plan. At the national level there is a presumption that heritage assets will be conserved and enhanced in a manner that is appropriate to their significance and also enjoyed for the quality of life they bring to current and future generations.
3.345. We have a rolling programme of reviewing Conservation Area Appraisals and may use Article 4 Directions to maintain the character of our historic environment, where appropriate.
3.346. When considering development proposals there will be a strong presumption in favour of protecting, sustaining and enhancing the significance of our heritage assets and their settings. The weight to be attached to that presumption, when assessed against meeting other needs, will be dependent on a variety of factors, including:
- The significance of the heritage asset: whether it is a designated heritage asset or a non-designated heritage asset;
- The contribution of that part of the asset to be affected by the proposed development to the significance of the heritage interest, appearance and setting of the asset as a whole;
- Non-designated heritage assets of archaeological interest, which have equivalent significant to schedule monuments, should be considered against policies for designated heritage assets.
3.347. In order to enable us to positively manage change by determining the appropriate balance between the need for any proposed development and the need to safeguard the heritage asset and its setting, applicants will be required to submit a Heritage Statement and Impact Assessment which assesses the significance of the asset, and of that part to be affected. The Oxfordshire Historic Environment Record should be consulted as a minimum, and relevant Conservation Area Appraisals or design guidance notes where applicable. The Statement should provide detailed evidence to demonstrate that:
- The proposals have been formulated and any works designed with a full and proper understanding of the significance of the heritage asset and its setting, and the effect of the proposals on that significance;
- The heritage asset is being put to the optimum viable use consistent with its physical conservation, and the conservation of its character and setting;
- Opportunities to sustain, enhance, to better reveal, or avoid or minimise harm to the significance of the asset have been taken;
- The need to be met by the development could not be met in a more beneficial or less harmful way.
3.348. Where a development site has archaeological interest, an archaeological desk-based assessment will need to be submitted along with any planning application for a site. Not all heritage assets have currently been identified, so the assessment will need to consider the likelihood of previously unidentified heritage assets being present on the site.
Core Policy 57: Historic Environment and Archaeology
All development proposals should conserve and/or enhance the special character, appearance and distinctiveness of Cherwell District’s historic environment, including the significance of its designated and non-designated heritage assets, in a manner appropriate to their historic character and significance and in a viable use that is consistent with their conservation, in accordance with legislation, national policy and guidance for the historic environment.
In determining applications, great weight and importance will be given to conserving and/or enhancing the significance of designated heritage and non-designated assets, including:
I. The special architectural and historic interest of Listed Buildings, with regard to their character, fabric and their settings;
II. The special architectural and historic interest, character and/or appearance of the District’s Conservation Areas and their settings, including the contribution their surroundings make to their physical, visual and historic significance;
III. The special archaeological and historic interest of nationally important monuments (whether Scheduled or not), both with regard to their fabric and their settings, and
IV. The special cultural, architectural and historic interest of Registered Parks and Gardens, and Registered Battlefields, including the contribution their surroundings make to their physical, visual and historical significance.
All applications which affect, or have the potential to affect, heritage assets will be expected to use appropriate expertise to describe the significance of the assets, their setting and historic landscape context of the application site, at a level of detail proportionate to the historic significance of the asset or area, using recognised methodologies and, if necessary, a field survey. The Historic Environment Record should be consulted as a minimum. The level of assessment should be proportionate to the proposal and shall be sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on the asset’s historic, architectural and archaeological features, significance and character.
Development which could adversely affect sites, structures, landscapes or buildings of archaeological interest and their settings will require an assessment of the archaeological resource through a desk-top study, and where appropriate a field evaluation.
Development will not be permitted that would adversely affect archaeological remains and their settings unless the applicant can demonstrate that the archaeological resource will be physically preserved in-situ, or if appropriate to their significance, a suitable strategy has been put forward to mitigate the impact of development proposals.
Where the loss of a heritage asset is considered acceptable, the developer will be responsible for making appropriate provision for a programme of archaeological investigation, recording, analysis and publication that will ensure the site is preserved by record prior to destruction. Such measures will be secured either by a planning agreement or by a suitable planning condition.
Proposals which would harm the significance of a designated or undesignated asset will not be approved, unless there is a clear and convincing justification in the form of substantive tangible public benefits that clearly and convincingly outweigh the harm, using the balancing principles set out in national policy and guidance.
Core Policy 58: Conservation Areas
Proposals for development in a Conservation Area or affecting the setting of a Conservation Area must conserve or enhance its special interest, character, appearance and setting. In particular special attention will be paid to:
i. The location, form, scale, massing, density, height, layout, landscaping, use, alignment and external appearance of the development;
ii. Views within, into or out of the Area;
iii. The pattern of development and the effects to important green spaces, and other gaps or spaces between buildings and the historic street pattern which make a positive contribution to the character in the Conservation Area;
iv. The wider social and environmental effects generated by the development, and
v. Any loss or harm to features that makes a positive contribution to the special interest, character or appearance of the Conservation Area, unless the development would make an equal or greater contribution.
Applications for the demolition of a building in a Conservation Area will only be permitted where it has been demonstrated that:
i. The building detracts from or does not make a positive contribution to the special interest, character or appearance of the Conservation Area; or
ii. The building is of no historic or architectural interest or is wholly beyond repair and is not capable of beneficial use; and
iii. Any proposed replacement building makes and equal or greater contribution to the special interest, character or appearance of the Conservation Area.
Wherever possible the sympathetic restoration and re-use of buildings that make a positive contribution to the special interest, character and appearance of a Conservation Area will be encouraged, thereby preventing harm through the cumulative loss of features which are an asset to the Conservation Area.
Core Policy 59: Listed Buildings
Proposals for additions or alterations to, or change of use of, a Listed Building (including partial demolition) or for development within the curtilage of, or affecting the setting of, a Listed Building, should:
i. Conserve or enhance the special architectural or historic interest of the building’s fabric, detailed features, appearance or character and setting;
ii. Respect the building’s historic curtilage or context or its value within a group and/or its setting, including its historic landscape or townscape context, and
iii. Retain the special interest that justifies its designation through appropriate design that is sympathetic both to the Listed Building and its setting and that of any adjacent heritage assets in terms of siting, size, scale, height, alignment, materials and finishes (including colour and texture), design, details and form.
Core Policies 60 and 61: The Oxford Canal
3.349. The Oxford Canal is an iconic structure running the length of the district through the attractive valley of the River Cherwell, and is of historic, ecological and recreational significance. Following an appraisal, the length of the canal through Cherwell District was designated as a Conservation Area in October 2012. The Conservation Area boundary has been drawn to include the towpath and towpath hedge, canal related earthworks and features including historic wharfs and locks, and woodland.
3.350. The biodiversity value of the canal is reflected in a number of statutory and non-statutory designations along the length of the canal. In terms of recreation, the canal is popular for boaters and anglers. A public footpath runs the length of the canal, and a section of the route is a public bridleway. The canal and towpath are owned and maintained by the Canal and River Trust, but the responsibility for any planning matters lies with the District Council.
Core Policy 60: The Oxford Canal
The Council will protect and enhance the Oxford Canal corridor which passes north to south through the district as a green transport route, significant industrial heritage, tourism attraction and major leisure facility through the control of development. The length of the Oxford Canal through Cherwell District is a designated Conservation Area and proposals that would be detrimental to its character or appearance will not be permitted. The biodiversity value of the canal corridor will also be protected.
The Council will support proposals to promote transport, recreation, leisure and tourism related uses of the Canal where appropriate, as well as supporting enhancement of the canal’s active role in mixed used development in urban settings. The Council will ensure that the towpath alongside the canal becomes an accessible long-distance trail for all users.
Other than appropriately located small scale car parks and picnic facilities, new facilities for canal users should be located within or immediately adjacent to settlements. The Council encourages pre-application discussions to help identify significant issues and opportunities associated with a site and to consider appropriate design solutions to these and we will seek to ensure that all new development meets the highest design standards, and is supportive of health, wellbeing and equality.
Such schemes should not compromise the use or operation of existing navigable waterway features such as junctions or locks.
All new buildings, extensions and alterations to existing buildings adjacent to the Oxford Canal should be designed to a high standard that complements the traditional characteristics of a canalside setting in terms of design, materials and landscaping.
Core Policy 61: Residential Canal Moorings
Proposals for the siting of permanent residential moorings on the Oxford Canal will only be supported when:
i. The site is within, or immediately adjacent to, the built-up limits of a settlement;
ii. Adequate car parking is provided;
iii. Moorings are compatible with adjacent land uses;
iv. The number and density of boats at any one point is not so great that it would act as a barrier separating people from the waterway or be detrimental to the character of the canal. Moorings will not be permitted immediately adjacent to the tow path;
v. They do not have negative impacts on navigation and navigational safety or operational requirements of the waterway;
vi. The biodiversity of the water, its margins and nearby nature conservation sites will be maintained or enhanced;
vii. There is adequate access for emergency services to ensure safety;
viii. Sites have adequate accessibility by walking, cycling and public transport to facilities and services including shops, healthcare, education and employment;
ix. There is adequate access to or provision of facilities and servicing, including water supply, electricity and disposal facilities for sewage and waste;
x. Use of any adjacent paths will not be impeded, and
xi. The proposed development will not cause any significant adverse visual impacts or restrict the ambition for increased access to and opportunities to enjoy enhanced water related infrastructure facilities for all residents.