Planning Policy

The main role of the Planning Policy team is to produce the statutory planning policy framework which guides the future land use planning in Oxford. This is an ongoing process with new documents being drafted, consulted upon and published regularly.

Planning Policy are responsible for implementing planning policies which help to ensure that the relevant social and physical infrastructure is provided whilst protecting and enhancing Oxford's natural environment.

The Local Plan and the Local Development Framework (LDF)

Local Plan

The Oxford Local Plan sets out policies against which planning applications for development will be judged. Visit our Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 page for full details.

Local Development Framework (LDF)

The Local Development Framework is a relatively new type of planning system which requires local authorities to produce a number of new documents. We began work on our LDF at the beginning of 2005. More details explaining what a LDF is, can be found in the document below:

PDF icon Local Development Framework briefing document (36kB PDF)

**Local Development Framework Documents**
Document Title	Current status (see LDS for more detail)
Development Plan Documents (DPDs)
Core Strategy DPD	Adopted March 2011
West End Area Action Plan	Adopted June 2008
Barton Area Action Plan	Submitted 13 April 2012
Sites and Housing DPD	Submitted 11 May 2012
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs)
Affordable Housing SPD	Adopted November 2006 to be reviewed alongside Sites and Policies DPD
Natural Resource Impact Analysis SPD	Adopted November 2006 to be reviewed
Parking Standards SPD	Adopted February 2007
Planning Obligations SPD	Adopted April 2007
Telecommunications SPD	Adopted September 2007
Balance of Dwellings SPD	Adopted January 2008
Streamlined Contributions SPD	No date
Other LDF documents
Local Development Scheme 2011-2014	Brought into effect November 2011
Statement of Community Involvement	Adopted October 2006
Sustainability Appraisal	Ongoing with each DPD and SPD
Annual Monitoring Report	Published November/December annually
Proposals Map (revised as each new DPD adopted)	Current version March 2011

National and regional planning guidance

National planning guidance comes in the form of Planning Policy Guidance (PPGs) and Planning Policy Statements (PPSs) which are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website.

The Government have produced a draft National Planning Policy Framework. Once finalised, this will replace the PPGs and PPSs.

The archived drafts and background technical documents for the South East Plan are available on the National Archives website.

The South East Plan replaced the Oxfordshire Structure Plan. However, 3 policies from the Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2016 were 'saved' and still remain in force and are available on the Oxfordshire County Council website.

In the past we have produced, or have commissioned, other documents which informed the review of the Local Plan. Some of these can be downloaded and include Development Guidelines (SPGs) for particular sites in Oxford, issues papers, topic papers and other studies. Visit our Policy Documents and Publications page for more information.

Oxford Local Plan

The Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 was adopted on the 11 November 2005.

Local Development Scheme

The Local Development Scheme (LDS) is one component of the Local Development Framework and shows the local community what our current planning policies are.

Statement of Community Involvement

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) produced as part of the Local Development Framework

Sustainability Appraisal

Information about sustainability appraisals

Annual Monitoring Report

The Annual Monitoring Report was produced as part of the Local Development Framework

Core Strategy

The Core Strategy is part of the Local Development Framework

West End AAP

The West End Area Action Plan is part of the LDF

Sites and Housing DPD

This is the main page for the Sites and Housing Development Plan Document