1. Introduction
1.1 The Cherwell Local Plan is a land use or spatial plan which sets out a vision and strategy to meet Cherwell’s needs, protect its environment and secure sustainable development.
1.2 We have considered the needs of the district and the issues it faces. Our planning policies in response to these needs, facilitate and guide development to help support our communities, create opportunities for all, improve our places to live and work, respond to challenges such as climate change and the need to protect nature, agricultural land for food production, our environment, landscape and built heritage.
1.3 The Plan sets out a vision and proposes homes, employment land, infrastructure and other essential services required to support our local communities over the Plan period to 2042.
1.4 The three overarching themes are:
- Theme one: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change and Ensuring Sustainable Development
- Theme two: Maintaining and Developing a Sustainable Local Economy
- Theme three: Building Healthy and Sustainable Communities
1.5 The Plan presents a series of objectives for meeting the vision and addressing these themes.
1.6 Finally, it presents a strategy, policies, and proposals for meeting these objectives and delivering the vision. The Plan contains both strategic and non-strategic policies.
1.7 In summary the strategy is to:
- Ensure that our committed growth is delivered
- Focus new development at Bicester and Banbury and to a lesser extent in the Kidlington area
- Revitalise our urban centres and encourage investment
- Raise the design quality of our built and ‘green’ environments
- Minimise carbon emissions and achieve set net gains in biodiversity, in delivering new development.
1.8 The strategy is supported by area strategies for Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, Heyford Park and our Rural Areas.