Oxford Local Plan 2042 Regulation 18 (Preferred Options) Consultation

Preferred Option: 

Set a housing requirement lower than the need identified by the Standard Method, based on capacity calculated in accordance with the spatial strategy (c.8800 dwellings over the Plan period 2022-2042).   

Alternative Option 1 (considered detrimental): Set a housing requirement in the Plan based on the full housing need identified through the Standard Method (c.21,740 dwellings over the Plan period 2022-2042).

Alternative Option 2 (considered detrimental): Set a housing requirement higher than the standard method in order to support economic growth or affordable housing need, even though achieving this requirement would rely on delivery outside of Oxford’s boundaries.

Preferred Option:

Seek to maximise the overall number of affordable homes delivered through contributions.

Focus on maximising the number of Social Rent homes from developer contributions, even if this means fewer affordable homes overall.

Alternative Option 1 (considered detrimental):  Do not maximise  affordable housing contributions but set them at a lower level of contribution that leaves more opportunity for alternative developer contributions or greater profit margins. 

Alternative Option 2 (considered detrimental): Do not include any policy requiring affordable housing contributions. 

Preferred Option:

Require financial contributions from student developments equivalent to 10 or more self-contained units [the same threshold as residential developments] or 25+ student rooms.

Alternative Option 1: Seek a financial contribution from all student accommodation developments, towards affordable housing.

Alternative Option 2: Only require financial contributions from larger student schemes, for example of more than 50 rooms (or 20 self-contained units).

Alternative Option 3 (considered detrimental):  Require affordable housing to be delivered on-site within larger student developments.

Alternative Option 4 (considered detrimental):  Do not require an affordable housing contribution from any student accommodation developments.

Preferred Option: 

Require financial contributions from developments equivalent to 10 or more self-contained units [the same threshold as residential developments]. 

Alternative Option 1: Seek a financial contribution from all self-contained older persons accommodation developments, towards affordable housing.

Alternative Option 2: Only require financial contributions from larger development, for example of more than 20 self-contained units. 

Alternative Option 3 (considered detrimental): Require affordable housing to be delivered on-site within larger older-persons developments.

Alternative Option 4 (considered detrimental): Do not require an affordable housing contribution from any older-persons accommodation developments.

Preferred Option: 

Require financial contributions towards off-site affordable housing from major commercial developments (over 1000sqm or 1ha).

Alternative Option 1: Do not require financial contributions towards off-site affordable housing from major commercial developments (over 1000sqm or 1ha).

Alternative Option 2: Require onsite provision of affordable housing as part of major commercial developments (over 1000sqm or 1ha).

Preferred Option:

On specified sites listed in the Plan, allow developments of homes that are available only for employees who work for a specific listed organisations at an affordable rent level (as agreed with the local authority).  

Alternative Option 1 (considered detrimental): Do not include an employer linked housing policy. 

Preferred Option: 

Set a policy mix to ensure a range of sizes of unit for affordable housing only (this would apply to all tenures except the market housing).

Exclude certain areas or types of development from any set mix where they would benefit from greater flexibility. For example exclude smaller sites where there is less opportunity to create a mix, avoid high density areas such as the district centres as they are suitable for small units to further increase density, do not apply to employer-linked housing as there will be specific needs linked to the staff.

Set a mix for both market and affordable homes and on a broad range of sites, for example including all those over 10 units. 

Alternative Option 1: Do not specify a mix of unit sizes for any type of development but do require at least 2 or 3 types of unit size in all developments over, for example, 25 units.

Alternative Option 2: Do not specify a mix but require the mix to respond to the Housing Register and therefore identified needs. 

Alternative Option 3 (considered detrimental): Do not include a mix policy.

Preferred Option: 

Resist a net loss of dwellings except for specific reasons. 

Resist the subdivision of family homes.

Alternative Option 1 (considered detrimental): Have no restrictions on the loss of dwellings.

Preferred Option:

Prevent a concentration of HMOs in any area by only allowing a certain percentage of HMOs within a frontage or radius (currently this is 20%). 

Alternative Option 1: Allow new purpose-built HMOs in appropriate locations (potentially restricting the size of these in particular areas). 

Alternative Option 2 (considered detrimental): Concentrate HMOs in certain areas so there is no restriction in particular areas and a complete or near complete restriction in others. 

Alternative Option 3 (considered detrimental): Do not have any restriction on HMOs.

Preferred Option: 

Restrict the locations where new student accommodation would be allowed to: on or adjacent to existing or campus sites, existing student accommodation sites, district centres and the city centre (or potentially only parts of these or some of these) and existing student accommodation.  

Restrict occupation of new student accommodation to full time students enrolled in courses of one academic year or more (with potential to allow other occupiers outside of term-time if a management plan is agreed). 

Require a management regime to be agreed with the City Council to ensure the development complies with parking standards that allow only operational and disabled parking, with the developer providing a mechanism to prevent residents from parking their cars anywhere on the site, (except for disabled residents). 

Alternative Option 1: Restrict the locations where new student accommodation would be allowed to: existing campus sites, existing student accommodation sites, district centres, the city centre and on arterial roads.  

Alternative Option 2: Have no locational restriction on student accommodation but a criteria-based policy.  

Alternative Option 3: Allow new student accommodation only on existing campus sites and on existing student accommodation sites.  

Alternative Option 4 (considered detrimental): Do not have any management restrictions on new student accommodation.  

Preferred Option:

Set thresholds for university students living outside of university provided accommodation and prevent expansion of academic facilities if the threshold is breached. The details of the threshold will include the level set (which would reflect what is achievable) and the types of students it applies to (not all). The intention of the policy option is to see the student thresholds reducing in steps over the length of the local plan. 

Only permit new academic facilities (of all types proposed by the universities or other institutions) that will facilitate growth in student numbers if it can be demonstrated how the students will be accommodated. Option (b) is linked to option (a).  

Alternative Option 1 (considered detrimental):  Have no policy linking new academic facilities to student accommodation.

Preferred Option:

Do not allocate sites but have a policy setting out criteria against which to assess any sites that do come forward.  

Alternative Option 1: Search for sites to allocate to meet an identified need.  

Alternative Option 2: Do not allocate sites or set out policy criteria – default to national policy (Planning Policy for traveller sites).  

Preferred Option: 

Do not allocate sites for new moorings but have a policy setting out criteria to assess any sites that do come forward.

Alternative Option 1: Search for a site to allocate for new moorings.

Alternative Option 2 (considered detrimental): Do not allocate sites or set out policy criteria. 

Preffered Option: 

Include a policy that is supportive of elderly persons’ accommodation of all types, but with criteria to be met that ensures it provides good quality living accommodation, is in accessible locations and is part of a mixed and balanced community.

Alternative Option 1: Include a general policy that is supportive of specialist needs accommodation of all types but does not provide additional criteria on quality.

Alternative Option 2: Require a proportion of the affordable housing on large sites to be used to meet specialist housing needs. 

Alternative Option 3 (considered detrimental): Include a policy that is restrictive of types of elderly persons’ or supported accommodation, for example private market flats available to older people but with limited onsite support. 

Alternative Option 4 (considered detrimental): Do not include a policy relating to elderly persons or other supported accommodation.  

Preferred Option: 

Require a proportion of the overall number of units (or of the site area to be developed for residential use) to be made available as self-build plots for large sites, for example all sites over 100 dwellings).  Set threshold to meet identified need. 

Allow exceptions to the policy where this would not work well (e.g. only flats, student accommodation). Set thresholds to meet identified need.  

Include in the policy that any self build plots that have been marketed but not sold over a specified time (e.g. 12 months) should be built and brought forward as dwellings in the usual way.  

Alternative Option 1: Require a smaller proportion of the overall number of units (or of the site area to be developed for residential use) to be made available as self-build plots for a larger number of smaller sites, for example all sites over 10 dwellings.

Alternative Option 2: Include a criteria-based policy which is positive towards but not requiring of self-build.

Preferred Option: 

Include a policy that is generally supportive of community-led housing but does not have any requirements.

Alternative Option 1: Require a proportion of the total site area to be available to groups wishing to develop community-led housing (for example of over 100 dwellings).  

Alternative Option 2 (considered detrimental): Do not have a policy that is supportive of community-led housing schemes.

Preferred Option:

Include a more restrictive policy that limits the locations where this type of accommodation would be permitted, for example to allow it only on existing school sites.  

 Alternative Option 1 (considered detrimental): Include a policy that allows this accommodation type in most locations, with some criteria guiding how they come forward.

Alternative Option 2 (considered detrimental): Do not include a policy relating to boarding school accommodation.