A public hearing is set to take place to examine West Oxfordshire District Council’s proposed planning policy for delivering a Net Zero development at Salt Cross Garden Village.
The hearing, led by Planning Inspector Helen Hockenhull, will take place virtually and will be live streamed on the council website, from 9.30am on Monday 30 June 2025, with a further reserve session scheduled for Friday 4 July if required. It forms part of the examination of the Salt Cross Area Action Plan (AAP), which will guide how the new Garden Village is developed.
Earlier this year, the Council submitted a revised Net Zero policy to the Planning Inspectorate following a successful High Court challenge in 2023 by Rights Community Action. The original version of the policy, which aimed for Salt Cross to be Net Zero carbon in operation, was rejected in 2022. However, the Court's decision allowed the Council to resubmit the policy for further examination. The updated policy is designed to be both ambitious and deliverable, with strong supporting evidence showing it is technically and financially feasible.
The hearing will assess whether this revised policy can now be formally included in the Area Action Plan.
Councillor Hugo Ashton, Executive Member for Planning, said:
“Salt Cross represents a bold vision for the future of development in West Oxfordshire. Our proposed Net Zero policy ensures that sustainability is at the heart of this new community.
“We believe the policy is ambitious, practical and supported by strong evidence, and we are committed to working with the Planning Inspector to see it through.”
A short report outlining the Inspector’s findings is expected later in the summer. The next steps will depend on the outcome of the hearing - this could include further public consultation if changes to the policy are recommended, or the policy may be approved or rejected as submitted. The Council will provide an update once the Inspector’s findings are received.
Anyone wishing to watch the hearing live can view the webcast on the Council’s website - https://westoxon.public-i.tv/core/portal/home.
Contact Information
West Oxfordshire District Council Communications Team
communications@westoxon.gov.uk
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