What is a Local Plan?

A Local Plan looks ahead fifteen years and plans how much development is needed in an area, like new homes, jobs, roads and schools, and where they should go. It also sets standards for environmental protection, sustainability, water quality and much more. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are working together to produce a new Joint Local Plan.

We have previously consulted on the main issues facing our districts and how we could use the Joint Local Plan to address them. We would now like your views on our “Preferred Options” for the new plan, and the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal.

As part of the councils’ work to develop the Joint Local Plan 2041, this consultation asks for community and stakeholder views on our preferred options and draft policies to help address local challenges and unlock future opportunities across the two districts.

Our preferred options are not a final version of our Joint Local Plan. We are asking for your thoughts on the policy options we’ve identified to tackle the issues, along with potential locations for future development.

Join the Conversation about our Joint Local Plan

Visit our interactive online platform to view the full Preferred Options document, supporting documents and the emerging policies map. We also have the Preferred Options document available as a PDF.

There are two ways to have your say: 

• The Joint Local Plan in a Nutshell survey (summaries of our preferred options across key topics for a quicker way to have your say)
• The full Preferred Options survey (full details of the policy options, preferred options, draft policies, supporting documents and the emerging policies map – comment to provide a more in-depth response)

Click here to give your opinion

You can comment on our consultation from Wednesday 10th January until Wednesday 21st February 2024 at 11.59pm.

We have prepared a Public Notice which sets out in more detail how to view the consultation documents, how to take part, where to get started and what happens next.

Join us at one of our in-person events

Find upcoming opportunities to drop in at one of our in-person events to chat with us, ask questions and have your say.