Councils hit back at plan criticism

TWO councils have said criticism by planning inspectors of their emerging joint local plan was “unwarranted” and “lacking cohesion”.

Councils submit a local plan every four years which sets out how much housing and infrastructure is needed to meet demand and where it should go.

South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council each received a letter from inspectors recommending that they withdraw their plan.

The councils were told they had not met the duty to co-operate with Oxford City Council over unmet housing need.

South and Vale councils sent a letter responding to the comments. It said: “The councils wish there to be no doubt that we are deeply disappointed by the conclusions reached in your letter and that we consider them to be unwarranted and lacking coherent explanation.

“We have taken legal advice and consider that the conclusions reached in your letter include material legal errors and that, were such conclusions to be repeated in a final report, we would have a case to have those conclusions quashed by the court.”

The joint local plan for South and Vale for 2041 has been developed over the last four years, and it was submitted to the Government last December.