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Notice of Intention to Commence Local Plan Preparation

Notice of Intention to Commence Local Plan Preparation under Regulation 19(2) & (4) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils (the ‘Councils’) HEREBY give NOTICE of their intention to commence preparation of a new joint local plan to be known as the Joint Local Plan 2045. This notice is issued pursuant to Regulations 19 and 82 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026. 

The Joint Local Plan 2045 will cover the administrative district areas of both South Oxfordshire (ONS E07000179) and Vale of White Horse (ONS E07000180), as shown edged green and blue on the map below.  

The Councils expect to start the 30-month plan preparation process on Friday 30 October 2026.  

A copy of this Notice and the Councils’ Local Plan Timetable can be viewed during normal office hours at: 

  • Council Offices, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE 

You can also view the timetable on our Joint Local Plan 2045 Timetable webpage.

The documents will remain available for the public to view until the expiry of a minimum period of three months beginning with the day after the date on which the Joint Local Plan 2045, to which the documents relate, shall be adopted by the Councils under Part 2 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. 

Map showing boundaries of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils

In accordance with Regulation 19(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, this notice is made available on 19 June 2026. 

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Where to view the notice

A copy of our notice to commence can also be viewed at: 

  • The Beacon, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX 
  • Cornerstone Arts Centre, 25 Station Rd, Didcot, OX11 7NE 
  • Great Western Park District Community Centre, 1 Gentian Mews, Great Western Park, Didcot, OX11 6GR 

Libraries across our South and Vale districts provide publicly accessible computers that can be used to view our commencement notice online. You can find your local library and check their opening hours via the link below.

Find details on local libraries and their facilities.

Alternative versions

Paper copies or alternative versions of this notice and our local plan timetable are available on request. Please email planning.policy@southandvale.gov.uk. 

Please note that if you request a paper copy of a document, we may charge a reasonable fee to cover printing, posting and packaging costs.  

Additionally, we have prepared a PDF version of the above notice below.

Notice of intention to commence local plan preparation (PDF)