New Housing Strategy for the Vale

I attended a local stakeholder event to hear about the new housing plans for the Vale this week.   This is a result of the latest govenment requirement to undertake a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) to assess the amount and type of housing needed in our district and across Oxfordshire.   This has identified a need for up to 20,560 new homes in the Vale between 2011 and 2031.  There is a need to find sites for another 7,430 more homes than originally planned in the previous Local Plan 2013. 

There is now a consultation exercise taking place for the Local Plan 2031 where you can have your say here.  There are a number of exhibitions next week at the following locations:

                        Tuesday 11 March - Abingdon Guildhall exhibition 4pm - 6pm

            Tuesday 11 March - Abingdon Guildhall public meeting 7pm - 9pm

            Wednesday 12 March - Cornertsone, Didcot exhibition 3pm - 7.30pm

            Saturday 15 March - Harwell Community Primary School exhibition 10am - 3pm

            Monday 17 March - St Blaise Primary School, Milton Heights exhibition 4pm - 6pm

            Monday 17 March - De Vere, Milton Hill House public meeting 7pm - 9pm

            Saturday 22 March - Abbey Shopping Centre, Bury St. Abingdon exhibition 10am - 3pm

            Monday 24 March - Shrivenham Memorial Hall exhibition 4pm - 6pm

            Monday 24 March - Shrivenham Memorial Hall public meeting 7pm - 9pm

           Tuesday 25 March - Faringdon Corn Exchange exhibition 3pm - 7.30pm

I hope residents will have a chance to see what is proposed for the area and make comments where necessary.  Fortunately, there has been no additional housing added in the Grove and Wantage area other than the developments already put forward.  I think it is acknowledged that we have reached saturation point!  Concerns were raised at the meeting about the ability of the infrastructure to cope, in particular our roads and schools.  It will be interesting to see the figures for the other districts in Oxfordshire, in particular, Oxford City, where much of the demand for housing is, but very little being built.