People and Nature – Making Connections
The role of Planning for the future of Oxfordshire
Executive summary
Date & location: 2 July 2015; Manor House, Little Wittenham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4RA
Delegates: 41 people, mainly county & district planners and members of nature conservation
organisations
Aim: constructive dialogue between sectors: share good practice; explore role & potential of
environment sector to engage with the planning system on future development in the County,
protecting and enhancing the natural environment; explore next steps
Presentations:
1.) Planning for Biodiversity, a Case Study from the Kingsbrook development (Paul Stephen,
RSPB)
 partnership working between Barratt Homes, the RSPB and Aylesbury Vale District
Council led to the proposal of an outstanding housing development, which aims to
bring nature to people’s doorstep.
 40% green space designed for multiple benefits, facilitated by a “Green Infrastructure
Design Code”
2.) Town house or Dormouse? – The Planner’s dilemma (Phil Shaw, West Oxfordshire District
Council)
 Challenges through significant increase in housing numbers and pressure on staff
resource
 Many planners have interest in ecology and wildlife, they do care and are part of the
solution
 Nature conservation is one of many aspects that planners need to consider
 Examples of good practice and constructive collaboration include Marriotts Walk,
Elmfield offices and Jacobs Mill development
 Importance of engaging early
3.) The big picture & case study (Matt Jackson, Head of Conservation Policy & Strategy, BBOWT)
 Less than 4% of Oxfordshire are protected by (inter)national or Local Wildlife Site
designation
 Level of threat and opportunity motivate organisations like BBWOT to engage
 Still more work to be done to achieve a net biodiversity gain through planning
 Happy to help facilitate use of biodiversity off-setting metrics if LAs want to
Main findings from workshop session
People and Nature – Making Connections
Challenges & issues
 Unprecedented level of growth proposed (some say unrealistic or undemocratic)
 Green Belt
 Lack of appetite amongst developers
 Lack of adopted local plan (post NPPF) in some districts
 Resource pressure within both LPA and nature conservation sector
Solutions
 Investment in planning is essential for the county’s future
 Member support & political buy-in, the LPA taking a visionary & leading role is essential to develop
innovative and sustainable new development
 Share knowledge, expertise & communications
 Pooling resources, Work together, promote pro-active partnerships
 Early engagement- increase amount of pre-app advice
 Look for win : win situations, find common ground
 Thinking long-term
Opportunities
 Developer funding could be used for Green Infrastructure and Conservation Target Areas
 Develop good local plans with strong policies, get net biodiversity gains policies into local plans
 Use master plans (transport/green space/ health & wellbeing)
 Demonstrate economic benefit of embedding the natural environment/ green spaces/ Green
Infrastructure in housing development
 Communities are more likely to accept development if it is of the nature of Kingsbrook
 Build on best practice in County (e.g. NW Bicester) and elsewhere
Key recommendations:
 More widespread use of masterplans and concept statements for major developments
 There is a need for continuation of dialogue and more detailed workshops
 The Oxfordshire Nature Partnership should be represented both on the Growth Board and
LEP Board
 The LEP should make resources available to facilitate a strategic and sustainable approach to
planning to support the proposed level of growth and development
More information, including presentations, delegate list, more detailed workshop notes, a press
release and some useful links relevant to this event is available at
http://www.wildoxfordshire.org.uk/planning-workshop/