The latest consultation on the Northern Gateway Area Action Plan in North Oxford has started badly, with local politicians making statements which show they are unaware that the size for the proposed development is now significant larger than the Local Plan allocation.

In 2011, the planning inspector allocated the Northern Gateway site for 55,000m2 of employment use and for 3,000 staff. Any further increase was only to be deliverable after the Local Plan period ends in 2026.

However, both the leader of the council Bob Price and Wolvercote councillor Mike Gotch now say that the allocation provided for 90,000m2 and 8,000 employees.

They seem woefully unaware that the city council itself reduced the original employment allocation from 80,000 to 55,000m2 on the basis that the higher ceiling would worsen the jobs and housing balance, and would promote more commuting into one of the most congested areas in the South East. The inspector backed this move but remained doubtful about the deliverability of the scheme because of transport and environmental restraints.

He also urged the city council to consult and fully engage when preparing planning documents in order to avoid ‘some of the distrust, mis-information, confusion and uncertainty’ which typified the Local Plan hearings. Unfortunately the current confusion created by the council prevents residents, community groups and other stakeholders from participating effectively in this consultation.

We urge the council to make clear that the Northern Gateway is a much larger development than allocated in the Local Plan and explain why it thinks that this enlarged site is justified given the well-known traffic problems and the likely impacts of air pollution on both local residents and nearby sites such as Port Meadow.

Sietske Boeles Chairman, CPRE Oxford District

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.

Today’s letters