Our Neighbourhood Plan
On 7 March 2019, there was a referendum with a resounding vote (93%) in favour of our first Neighbourhood Plan. Oxford City Council adopted the Plan on 29 April 2019, and it is used by the Council when deciding planning applications in the Summertown & St Margaret’s Neighbourhood area.
7 years have passed, and the Plan now needs updating to reflect changes in our Neighbourhood. This work began in 2024, led by the Forum’s Planning Working Group, who welcome input from the community.
Reviewing the Summertown & St Margaret’s 2019-2034 Neighbourhood Plan
We need to decide on the approach for the update of our Neighbourhood Plan (NP). This will need to be undertaken against a background of a new, more flexible, National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and a soon to be confirmed, radically updated Oxford Local Plan 2045 (LP 2045).
We have been encouraged by the Oxford City Planning department to introduce more detailed area specific elements to give the NP more ‘teeth’ to make it more effective in influencing planning and development decisions. This could be done through Design Codes, a feature that has been introduced in the planning framework and the new Oxford LP 2045.
There are three ways in which we could approach this update (remember Spatial Policies are mandatory and Community Policies are aspirational):
Option 1: The absolute minimum
• Update the now irrelevant parts of the introduction
• Not change any of the wide-ranging Spatial Policies
• Only change the Community Policies that are out of date
This will allow the Forum to continue for the immediate future, organise the occasional local campaign and distribute the Community Infrastructure Levy [CIL] funds.
Option 2: A light touch update
• Write a new introduction to reflect the changes in our neighbourhood
• Not change the Spatial Policies
• Introduce a new set of Community Policies based on the latest aspirations for our neighbourhood
• Add possibly two Design Codes for the areas where change is expected
This will keep the Forum relevant but not much more effective than it is now.
Option 3: A radical makeover
A total rewrite along the following lines:
• A new introduction setting out our overall vision in reference to the latest census information
• Fully updated housing need analyses and policies
• A separate District Centre vision
• A new ‘Getting Around’ section (formally Transport) in line with our recent consultation event
• Environment (focusing on the outdoor spaces) and Health
• Heritage and Design
• Alterations to Buildings and Streets
• Design Codes for possibly up to eight potential development sites
• All in a new, much more visual presentation similar to for instance the NP for Headingley Leeds.
This will bring the NP in line with the new NPPF and Oxford LP 2045 and will make it much more effective in influencing planning and development decisions.
Throughout the UK, neighbourhood forums and parish councils have had the option of producing their Neighbourhood Plans since 2013. The planning process began with Character Assessments of individual sub-areas before actual planning began, followed by the Steering Committee’s formation of seven thematic Working Groups (Alexandra Park, Diamond Place, Natural Environment, Sustainable Transport, Summertown Retail Centre, Planning, Conservation Area) tasked with identifying key issues in the neighbourhood areas and proposing relevant development projects for each theme.
In consultation with Forum members, policies have been formulated and included in the Neighbourhood Plan that embody the Forum’s vision and objectives set out in the plan. Following extensive consultation in the community, the Plan was thoroughly revised and updated, then voted on in a ‘for or against the Plan’ Public Referendum on 7 March 2019. The Referendum outcome was a resounding vote in favour of the Neighbourhood Plan. Thereafter, the plan was approved by Oxford City Council and is now used by Oxford City Council when deciding planning applications in Summertown and St. Margaret’s neighbourhood areas.
Our Plan recommends planning principles for new developments in the area with the intentions of safeguarding the characteristics of the neighbourhood which local residents’ value and indicating desirable future developments. There are a number of development sites which are critical for the future shape of the two areas, most notably the Diamond Place Development and adjacent Summer Fields School site.
One of the principal duties of the SuStM Forum is to ensure that all relevant planning decisions are made in line with the Neighbourhood Plan. Applications will be screened and commented on by members of the Steering Committee in consultation with SuStM members. This website will keep its readers posted on Oxford City Council planning applications relating directly or indirectly to Summertown and St. Margaret’s, as they arise (see Planning Updates).
Programmes & Projects
The Neighbourhood Forum has developed several workstreams to improve the environment and infrastructure of Summertown and St. Margaret’s.
The Alexandra Park Programme consists of component projects aimed at enhancement of the park’s facilities. The Diamond Place Working Group engages with the Council and University developers for this important site in the heart of our neighbourhood. The Transport Working Group collaborates with Local Authority and community groups to deliver sustainable transport. The Planning Working Group reviews and responds to relevant planning applications from within and surrounding our neighbourhood. We anticipate there will be further augmentation of projects when needed within the terms of the Plan in the future.
Ongoing SuStM Alexandra Park Programme
Currently SuStM, through the Alexandra Park Working Group, is collaborating with the Oxford City Council Parks Department and other relevant partners to continue the redevelopment of Alexandra Park focussed on providing park facilities for residents of all ages. 12 tennis courts (six hard and six grass courts) will be retained. We intend that the work will be completed by the centenary of the Park in 2025.
Volunteers Sought
If you are a regular user of the Park, or live nearby, and would like to contribute to its development in any way, please contact the Forum Secretary.
Development Sites
The Oxford City Council Local Plan 2036 Preferred Options indicated a number of sites under consideration for further development. Oxford City Council is embarking on the development of a new Local Plan to 2040. The Steering Committee plans to form a view on any proposed development sites and use the Neighbourhood Plan’s Policies and Character Assessments as the basis for its formal response. The intention is to try and influence the developments even before the final detail applications are available. The Sites in our Area in the 2036 Plan are listed below using the formal reference numbers and subheadings as well as the current status.
Sites allocated in the Sites and Housing Plan
-003; Summertown Strategic Site (Large area east of Summer Fields School towards the river Cherwell): Current Status; Rejected-Sports, unless evidence provided; (housing and re-provide open air sports).
-018; Diamond Place and Ewert House: Current Status; Potentially suitable for development, update required; (retail, health centre, community and leisure facility, housing, public carpark, Diamond Place SPD (Special Development Document)).
Restricted access green spaces
-125; Summer Fields School athletics site (southern part): Current Status; Potentially suitable for development (housing).
-309; Summer Fields School Playing Field West (1/3 of site 003 on west side): Current Status; Rejected-Sports, unless evidence provided; (housing and re-provide open space).
Previously developed land
-580; Summertown House (University owned postgraduate accommodation): Current Status; Potentially suitable for development (housing and student accommodation).
Planning Working Group
This Group has recently been convened and Terms of Reference are under development. If you would like to be involved in reviewing planning applications affecting our neighbourhood, please contact the Forum Secretary.
