Oxford City Council has formally submitted its Local Plan 2045 to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination. Councillors voted to adopt the plan at a full council meeting on 13 July, and the council published it two days later. The document will underpin all planning decisions in the city until 2045.
The plan requires 40% affordable housing on developments of ten or more homes, with social rent given priority. All new buildings must achieve net zero carbon in operation and be built resilient to a changing climate. Major developments will also need to include biodiversity net gain and green features, alongside Community Employment and Procurement Plans to promote local jobs and businesses. The Planning Inspectorate now appoints an independent inspector to test the plan against soundness criteria. The process will review the evidence base and all representations made during the Regulation 19 stage, followed by hearing sessions which representors can request to take part in.
Oxford faces a severe housing shortfall. The Government’s Standard Method calculates a need for 1,087 new homes each year, or 21,740 over the plan period. The city, however, can only fit 9,267 within its boundaries because of flood zones and protected environmental sites, leaving an unmet need of 12,473 homes. A council study suggests that using 2.6% of Oxford’s 35,000-hectare Green Belt could deliver 40,000 homes by 2040, including 16,000 for social and affordable rent. The case for releasing land is strengthened by average house prices of £570,000 here, which are 13.6 times the typical household income.
The plan replaces the Local Plan 2036 adopted in June 2020. That earlier version allowed for about 11,000 homes and required 50% affordable housing on larger sites. The final draft of Local Plan 2045 was published in January 2026, with a public consultation running from 30 January to 13 March 2026. Comments collected during that period have been sent alongside the plan for the inspector to consider. Councillor Anna Railton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Zero Carbon Oxford, said that the plan puts in place ambitious policies to deliver the homes the city needs while meeting its net zero commitments.
Those who made representations during the Regulation 19 stage can request to take part in the examination hearings once the inspector calls for them. No date has yet been set. Details of the examination process will be advertised once confirmed.
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