In our last newsletter, we mentioned that consultation on the South East plan would soon be starting. You may already have had a ‘Your Shout’ questionnaire through the post and if you have not yet filled it in, please keep it, as SPADE will soon be circulating some guidance you might find useful in filling in the questionnaire

Many local people and organisations are questioning the right of this largely unelected and publicly unaccountable body to determine the direction of future development in Oxfordshire and other parts of the south east. The reality we all have to live with though, is that the Regional Assembly exists, and this is the only method for the time being we all have of making our views heard. We would strongly encourage everyone to take part in the consultation.

If you read the draft Plan, you may question its validity, given the disclaimer in the executive summary that “serious doubts remain over the robustness of the data…on which this draft Plan is based”, the admission that there has been “…little opportunity for public involvement…” and the remarkable statement that the Plan has been agreed for consultation by “…the Regional Assembly as a whole and does not necessarily reflect the views of individual members/local authorities.” When you receive it, you will also notice that the questionnaire is focussed on only a few of the many issues that are raised by the Plan and are of concern to us locally, and you may be concerned that it provides neither space for comment on other parts that may be more relevant to Oxfordshire residents, nor for the expression of personal views. We are currently investigating how this might be remedied and will make some suggestions on this in our guidance. We are concentrating on how best we might answer the questionnaire so that we support the County Council’s Structure plan – this is the plan after all, which has been consulted on locally, and examined by an inspector who supported the view that the Green Belt should be protected. We can be sure that commercial organisations who hold the opposite view will be taking a vigorous part in the South East consultation so once again, we say it is important that we all take part in this consultation.

If you wish to view the questionnaire before you receive it in the mail (and you can also complete it online), or if you wish to see the plan in its entirety, both can be found here

In the meantime, if you have any queries or questions please contact us .