16/06/10..CPRE warns against policy vauum in planning reforms

CPRE, The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Oxfordshire, has welcomed the abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies and more say for local communities, but urges action to avoid a policy vacuum.

In a recent statement, CPRE Oxfordshire said: “The Government proposal to abolish Regional Spatial Strategies had been expected [1] and the CPRE Oxfordshire Branch welcomes the move to reform planning and give back greater control to local communities to shape their own lives.[2] But we all need a clear and effective planning system to replace the unloved ?top down? targets for housing and deliver genuinely sustainable solutions which local people can support, with adequate protection for the countryside, the Green Belt, important landscapes and sensitive habitats.”

Dr Helena Whall, Campaign Manager, said: ?With all five Districts in the midst of their Core Strategies, the last thing Oxfordshire needs is a long period of uncertainty and a virtual policy vacuum as this will only encourage speculative planning applications.

“We should not throw out the ?baby with the bathwater? when it comes to regional planning, as much of the South East?s infrastructure – transport, waste, minerals and water etc – has to be organised on a large scale and crosses county boundaries. By all means reduce the bureaucracies but the Government needs to retain some strategic expertise in these matters.?

She continued: ?We would urge the Government to expedite new planning arrangements after full consultations with local authorities and communities, and to provide effective national guidance which does not ride roughshod over local concerns.

“With SE Plan targets removed, we would urge the five Districts to reconsider their housing plans to 2026 and formulate Core Strategies which are more sustainable and more in tune with local views.

?Finally, this should not be a green light for the City to renew their ambitions to expand into the Green Belt. This is not a sustainable answer. CPRE recognises that Districts cannot solve future development pressures alone and that Oxford is the heart of this County. The Central Oxfordshire planning strategy is designed to maintain the city as a vibrant centre, while creating more jobs investment and infrastructure in towns such as Bicester and Didcot to relieve the pressures. We call on the five Districts and County Council to now work together responsibly to give new life to the Central Oxfordshire concept, to address Oxford?s pressures and to protect the Green Belt.”

Dr Helena Whall concluded: ?If we get this right, it is a golden opportunity to deliver sensible, sustainable planning more in tune with local people and the environment – and to reduce the complexities and central diktats which have bedevilled the current system. But it is not an invitation for the City to carry on with their old growth plans ? in our view Oxford needs a much smarter sub-regional solution which fully respects the Green Belt and the qualities which make this ancient City so special.?

PHOTO: Dr Helana Whall – Courtesy of Witney Gazette