Oxford Core Strategy

The Core Strategy is the principal document in Oxford's Local Development Framework (LDF). It sets out a vision, spatial strategy and core policies to guide development and change in Oxford up to 2026. The Core Strategy was adopted by the City Council on 14 March 2011. 

Adopted Core Strategy document

The adopted Core Strategy can be downloaded below.

 Adopted Oxford Core Strategy (12.2MB PDF)
Core Strategy Adoption Statement (40kB PDF)

Proposals Map

The Proposals Map illustrates the spatial policy designation that flow from adopted planning policies.  The adopted Proposals Map has the status of a Development Plan Document (DPD).   Each time a new DPD is adopted it must be revised. 

Following adoption of the Core Strategy, an updated Proposals Map (in two parts) can be viewed below. This incorporates changes arising from the Core Strategy, together with existing designations that relate to saved Local Plan designations or to West End Area Action Plan policies.

Please note these maps are large documents and may take some time to download depending on your internet connection. A hard copy can be viewed at our Ramsay House office.

A final version of the updated Proposals Map is in preparation and will be published as soon as reasonably practicable. Hard copies of the new map will also be available to purchase in due course.

Proposals Map - North Area (5.2MB PDF)
Proposals Map - South Area (9MB PDF)

Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment

The Sustainability Appraisal is used to ensure that development plans help to implement the principles of sustainable development through the integration of social, environmental and economic issues, and provides an opportunity to improve the plan or policy or to ensure that it is more effective in meeting the aims of sustainable development.

The Sustainability Appraisal Report that accompanied the submitted Core Strategy, together with an addendum prepared to accompany Proposed Changes to the Submitted Core Strategy, can be downloaded below.

A Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment Post Adoption Statement has also been prepared and can be downloaded below. 

A final version of the Habitats Regulations Assessment has been published to bring together previously published material and to reflect wording incorporated into the adopted Core Strategy.  This can be downloaded below. Previous versions of the Habitats Regulations Assessment can be found on the Core Documents page.

Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal (September 2008) (kB PDF)
Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Addendum (April 2009) (kB PDF)
Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment Post Adoption Statement (644kB PDF)
Oxford Core Strategy Habitats Regulations Assessment (744kB PDF)

Examination

The Core Strategy was submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 21 November 2008. It was subject to examination by two independent Inspectors appointed by the Secretary of State. Examination hearing sessions were held in July and September 2009, and September 2010.

During the Examination phase, the City Council published and consulted upon Proposed Changes to the Submission Core Strategy and Further Proposed Changes to the Submission Core Strategy.

The final Inspectors' Report was received on 21 December 2010. The Core Strategy was found to be sound, subject to a limited number of changes. The Inspectors' Report can be viewed below:

Core Strategy Final Inspector's Report - 21 December 2010 (351kB PDF)
Core Strategy Final Inspector's Report Annexes A1 and A2 (784kB PDF)

For more information about the Examination process, please see our Examination page.

Previous stages of the Core Strategy

Work started on the Core Strategy in 2006 and there were various stages of consultation prior to its submission to the Secretary of State. These stages are summarised below, but for more details please visit our Core Strategy Previous Stages page.

• Submission - November 2008
• Proposed Submission - September 2008
• Further Preferred Options - March 2008
• Preferred Options - March 2007
• Issues and Options - June 2006

Saved policies

Some policies within the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 have been superseded by Core Strategy policies but many have been 'saved' pending the adoption of future Development Plan Documents (DPDs).

The links below will take you to a list of the Local Plan policies that remain saved, together with those that have been superseded either by the adoption of the Core Strategy or the West End Area Action Plan. There is also a list of those Local Plan policies that expired on 11 November 2008 (three years after the adoption of the Local Plan):

Schedule of saved Local Plan policies (90kB PDF)
Schedule of superseded Local Plan policies (51kB PDF)
Schedule of Local Plan policies that expired on 11 November 2008 (17kB PDF)

Core Strategy Core Documents

Visit our Core Strategy Core Documents page for a list of the core documents referred to during the Examination process.

Page last reviewed 16 November 2011