Bloxham N.P. - What you told us - June 2014

Bloxham Neighbourhood PlanWhat you told us

12th June 2014

Planning Law Changes

Assumption in favour of development

All development is permittedIF:•No Local Plan and / or

•No 5 year supply of housing land

All development is permittedIF:•No Local Plan and / or

•No 5 year supply of housing land

Appeal is upheld.

What’s the new Local Plan Schedule?

• The CDC Local Plan suffered a major set-back last week.

• Realistically – another year – maybe next March – May.

• That’s another year of a licence for developers to pretty much build anything anywhere.

How does this affect our plan?

• Basically the N.P. is a fine-tuning of the Local Plan for a particular neighbourhood.

• It cannot conflict with the Local Plan.• CDC are likely to want to combine our

referendum with the May 2015 elections.• So – don’t hold your breath!

What can we do?

What’s a Neighbourhood Plan

It’s about where we put things and what they are like.

What a Neighbourhood Plan isn’t• It cannot “magic” cash or land for facilities• It doesn’t offer a “best of all worlds!” – Cash follows development– No development : no cash

• Much of the cash that comes with development goes direct to OCC and CDC. They won’t necessarily spend it as the Parish would.

Why the questionnaire?

• Everything we propose in the N.P. will be challenged by developers and we have to be able to justify in terms of–Factual Evidence

–Community engagement

Factual Evidence

• The working groups have gathered together an enormous amount of factual evidence.

• Three reports totalling around 500 pages

Community EngagementMeetings & drop-ins

Community EngagementQuestionnaires1.Young people’s questionnaire (online)2.Business Questionnaire (online)3.Main Questionnaire (on paper)

Young people’s Questionnaire

• Mostly responses – very similar to adults:– Too many new houses– Dislike the style of the houses– Too much trafficEtc

• Did include:– few unexpected – a few a bit too honest

What building is it most important we don’t lose?

Where do you find out what happens in Bloxham?

• Bloxham Broadsheet (paper edition)• Bloxham Broadsheet (online edition)• Banbury Guardian• Social networks (FaceBook, Twitter etc)• Other _______________________

• Other - Nothing happens in Bloxham!

The main questionnaire

How many new homes?

What type of developments

Protect historic views?

Preserve rural character?

Changes in housing density?

Materials that fit in?

Lean towards rural or urban?

Energy efficiency?

On-premises parking

Design in home-office capability?

How many will want to downsize

Criteria for a downsize home?

Travel: getting to work

Travel: shopping & entertainment in Banbury

Travel: getting to school

Travel: why by car to school?

Location of new housing and Schools

How many parking spaces?

How many vehicles per household?

How many vehicles per household?

Your experience of utilities?

What types of new businesses desirable?

The capacity of the primary school

The capacity of the primary schoolWe will be unable to do anything about this!

Developers – “It’s sustainable because there is a village school and we’ll pay for extra places.”

Inspector – “OK - so not a problem: approved – of course!”

The capacity of the primary schoolWe will be unable to do anything about this!

Developers – “It’s sustainable because there is a school and we’ll pay for extra places.”Inspector – “OK - so not a problem: approved – of course!”

OCC – “Thanks for the money. We’ll provide extra places but not in Bloxham.”

Bloxham – “ Apparently this is called planning!”

Usage of outdoor recreation spaces?

Who needs more recreation facilities?

What sort of recreation facilities?

Should we protect any outdoor spaces?

• We can nominate a small number of “green areas” to be protected in perpetuity.– Red Lion Gardens – Bloxham School field onto Banbury Rd– The Jubilee Fields– The Recreation Grounds

Usage of Indoor Facilities

Could Bloxham support another indoor venue?

Where does all this leave things?

• All of the important recommendations of the working groups are well supported.

• On recreation we need the Trusts, PC, the churches and the NP groups to come together to produce a whole village recreation strategy that guides how cash is spent.

• We need to press ahead with policy writing understanding there are some things we can do nothing about in the present planning system.

What have we learned?Grant me – The courage to change the things I can change;– The serenity to accept the things I can’t change;

– The wisdom to know the difference between the two.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING IS PROVIDING PLENTY OF PRACTICE AT ALL THREE!

Thank you for listeningThank you for listening