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Development Team Approach

Development management is a positive and proactive approach to shaping, considering, determining and delivering development proposals. It is led by the local planning authority, working closely with those proposing developments and other stakeholders. It is undertaken in the spirit of partnership and inclusiveness and supports the delivery of key priorities and outcomes.

The Development Management Approach at West Oxfordshire aims to provide an opportunity for developers of large schemes to meet up with the necessary Council services and other statutory bodies to discuss and negotiate ideas for the proposed development. Improving the channels of communication between the Council, developers and other Agencies involved in the development process helps to minimise delays and reduces the possibility of applicants receiving conflicting advice. This approach aims to supply advice for both pre-application enquiries and also to resolve issues which may arise during the implementation process.

Who does this Approach apply to?

If your development involves 10 or more dwellings, or retail, commercial or industrial development with a gross floor area of 1,000m² or more, the Development Team can provide a coordinated response to your pre-planning application enquiry.

What information is required?

Please submit a design outline and relevant plans with your enquiry. If possible please provide the relevant material in electronic form (pdf format). This would greatly assist in disseminating the information to the relevant parties, and may reduce the time it takes for a meeting to be convened. Upon receipt of your enquiry the Development Team will aim to convene within a period of two weeks. In addition to the material originally submitted we may also ask for additional information. We would appreciate your assistance in the matter, and a quick response to our request may speed up the process. Once the meeting has taken place we aim to provide a written response within 7 working days outlining informally the position the Council is likely to take.

The size and type of development you propose will determine who is involved. However, the list below indicates some of those individuals who may be present.

Development Control:

Phil Shaw - 01993 861687 Case Officer. Responsible for convening the Development Team.

Landscape/Street scene:

Alison Leask - 01993 861392 Landscape adoption by WODC

Public Art/Arts Development:

Heather McCulloch - 01993 861562 Hannah Cervenka - 01993 861554 for Art Schemes

Housing Services:

Ffyona MacEwan 01993 861 156 Lesley Sherratt - 01993 861151 Triggering need for Affordable Housing

Sports and Leisure Development:

Martin Holland - 01993 861556 WODC sports advice

Leisure and Tourism:

Diana Shelton - 01993 861551 WODC leisure advice

Engineering - Streetscene

01993 861353 Drainage and road adoption

Environmental Health

Phil Measures - 01993 861376 Noise, pollution control and contaminated land

Landscape Design

Nick Dalby - 01993 861662 Landscape design

Building Control

01993 861695 Building Control advice

Community Safety

Bill Oddy- 01993 861631 Community safety and licensing

Conservation and Design

01993 861680

Estates

01993 861583 Land owned by WODC

OCC Archaeologist

Hugh Coddington - 01865 810187 Any disturbance or damage to the historic environment and the archaeological resource within either the rural or urban context

OCC Highways

Kevin Batchelor - 01865 844300 Highway matters regarding road layout, traffic generation, highway improvements, parking standards etc

OCC Ecologist

Craig Blackwell - 01865 810469 Landscape or ecology issues

OCC Planning Services

Linda Currie - 01865 810432 To be involved in discussions whenever another member of OCC is contacted.

OCC Developer Funding

Edward Briscoe - 01865 815869 Contribution to infrastructure - developments which have a measurable impact on the local community.

English Heritage

Nigel Barker - 01483 252026 or Janet Martin Developments which will have a significant impact on the historic environment, which includes below ground archaeology, historic landscapes (including parks and gardens), Scheduled Ancient Monuments, listed buildings and conservation areas.

Environment Agency

Frances Johnson - 08708 506 506 ext: 725 8486 NB Not available for meetings on Thursdays Flooding and river corridor protection

English Nature

Rebecca Tibbets - 01635 267005 Impact on SSSI (and some protected species)