THE 30 PER CENT increase in housing planned by the Regional Assembly could result in an additional 40,000 homes being built in Oxfordshire over the next 20 years.
The assembly's planning committee says the number of new homes built in the south east will have to rise by 34,000 to 36,000 a year - well in excess of the 28,000 previously agreed.
In Oxfordshire, the increase would significantly add to the amount of development proposed in the draft County Structure Plan, boosting the city council's hopes of building 5,000 homes near Grenoble Road.
The South East England Regional Assembly's (SEERA) intervention on Wednesday, could now see 77,000 homes being built in Oxfordshire by 2026. The present draft County Plan allows for 37,000 units over 15 years. The news will confirm the worst fears of critics of SEERA, the unelected body charged with tackling the region's chronic housing shortages.
Keith Mitchell, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: "I think the figures will be received with horror in our area. Oxford City Council is keen to build over the South Oxfordshire boundary, but the other districts will be horrified." Mr Mitchell warned: "We now have to put a strong argument showing why we cannot take such numbers in Oxfordshire, with the existing infrastructure and transport problems." He said the assembly's decision left Oxfordshire facing four "unpalatable" options:
The SEERA planning committee, chaired by Mr Mitchell, agreed to press for the new homes to be built in phases. The committee has created 10 sub-regions in the south east which are earmarked for the bulk of development. A steering group will be expected to produce a detailed report on where it wants to see development, which will feed into the South East Plan.
But Mr Mitchell warned that elected councils may have precious little input. He said: "This is not acceptable. We will be organising an emergency meeting at County Hall to ensure county councillors can express a view."
The leader of the Vale of the White Horse District Council, Jerry Patterson, added: "It's better to engage in the process than allow John Prescott to decide on the numbers," he said.
Alex Hollingsworth, the leader of Oxford City Council and a member of the regional assembly's planning committee, said the city council would continue to argue for an urban extension of the city. But he warned there would have to be adequate investment in infrastructure.
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A 30 per cent increase in housing planned by the Regional Assembly could result in an extra 40,000 homes being built in Oxfordshire over the next 20 years.
The assembly's planning committee says the number of new homes built in the south east is going to have to rise by between 34,000 and 36,000 a year - well in excess of the previously agreed figure of 28,000.
The increase, translated to Oxfordshire, would add significantly to the amount of development proposed in the draft County Structure Plan, boosting the city council's hopes of building 5,000 homes near Grenoble Road.
The South East England Regional Assembly's (Seera) intervention on Wednesday could now see 77,000 new homes being built in Oxfordshire by 2026. The current draft County Plan proposes 37 000 homes over 15 years. The news will confirm the worst fears of critics of Seera, the unelected body charged with tackling the region's chronic housing shortages.
Oxfordshire County Council leader, Mr Keith Mitchell, said: "I think the figures will be received with horror in our area. Oxford City Council is keen to build over the South Oxfordshire boundary but the other districts will be horrified."
Seera officers will in August begin calculating how the extra homes should be allocated across the region. Mr Mitchell warned: I expect the expansion to kick in quickly, with the plan approved next year and work starting in 2007. We now have to put a strong argument showing why we cannot take such numbers in Oxfordshire, with the existing infrastructure and transport problems." He said the assembly's decision left Oxfordshire facing four "unpalatable" options: "We could continue expanding the four growth towns - Banbury, Bicester, Didcot and Witney - which would be unpopular. We could look at an A34 corridor between Abingdon and Didcot or could allow Oxford city to grow, which would impact upon the Green Belt. The other option would be to go for a new settlement. We may well end up with a combination of all of them."
The Seera planning committee, chaired by Mr Mitchell, agreed to press for the new homes to be built in phases, with a "trigger mechanism" to ensure roads and infrastructure kept up with development. The committee also completed the task of creating ten sub-regions in the south east. The sub-regions are likely to see the bulk of development in the south east and of Government investment. Central Oxfordshire is one of the most rural of the newly created sub-regions, embracing all the Oxford Green Belt and stretching from Bicester to Didcot.
A steering group, made up of one representative from each local council, will be expected to produce a detailed report on where it wants to see development, which will feed into the crucial South East Plan. Mr Mitchell warned that elected councils may have precious little input into the key document setting out how much growth should be permitted in Central Oxfordshire. Local councils only had to be kept informed about the process, with no formal approval needed. He said: "This is not acceptable. We will be organising an emergency meeting at County Hall to ensure county councillors can express a view. This report is crucial. It is to determine where housing should go. I have written to other councils urging them to do the same as us, to trv to put some democracy back into the process."
Steering groups are expected to submit proposals to Government by November. There will then be a consultation period in the New Year.
The Lib-Dem leader of the Vale of the White Horse Council, Jerry Patterson, said he was unsurprised by the extent of the proposed increase in housing: "It is better to engage in the process than allow John Prescott to decide on the numbers." Mr Patterson hoped that most of the growth locally could focus on market towns such as Abingdon, Wantage and Faringdon.
Alex Hollingsworth, leader of Oxford City Council and a member of the regional assembly's planning committee, said housing proposed for Oxford had for years been inadequate, with the city requiring 1,700 homes to tackle the existing backlog. He said the city council would continue to argue for an urban extension of the city but warned there would have to be adequate investment in infrastructure: "Nobody wants thousands of homes without roads, drainage and so on to cope with them."
Central Oxfordshire has already been shortlisted as a potential Strategic Development Area (SDA). Areas identified by Seera as SDAs would be expected to take 25,000 extra homes over 20 years. Meanwhile, Oxfordshire County Council is continuing with production of its final County Structure Plan.