The Sites and Housing Development Plan Document, which is part of the Council's Local Development Framework, sets out 63 sites across the City with a range of allocated uses, including housing, student development, employment and retail. Over 45 of the sites have housing as a requirement which the Council said could potentially deliver over 2,000 new homes.
The inspector said in the report (61-page / 321KB PDF) that the Plan's requirement for 80% of affordable homes to be social rented housing and the rest to be intermediate housing "is justified and strikes the most appropriate balance to achieve mixed communities across the City".
The Plan provides for developers of small housing sites of between four and nine homes to make a financial contribution towards affordable housing rather than be required to provide on-site affordable housing. The inspector said that this policy is "justified and effective", but recommended a modification to allow the flexibility of on-site housing "where this is acceptable to both the Council and the developer".
Other policies in the Plan include a maximum threshold of 20% of houses in any 100 metre stretch as 'Houses in Multiple Occupation' and a requirement for all new residential and student development to include an element of on-site renewable energy.
"We are very pleased that the Inspector has approved the Plan as it means that we can seek financial contributions from small sites and student accommodation that will deliver much needed affordable housing in Oxford, in addition to our established affordable housing requirements from large housing sites," said the Council's Board Member for City Development, Colin Cook.
"We have been proactive in finding sites for new housing development which will help to meet the huge housing shortfall in Oxford and at the same time providing on-site renewable energy generation or low-carbon technologies," he said.
The Plan will go before the full Council for formal adoption on 18 February.
