Planning
We advocate best practice in the sustainable development and management of new and evolving buildings and spaces while preserving the best of what we have inherited from the past. We encourage planners and developers to create built environments – buildings, streets, waterways, spaces (e.g. parks, squares, neighbourhoods) – in which we and future generations will want to live.
Our work focuses on:
- influencing planning processes and strategic plans;
- scrutinising and commenting on planning applications both large and small;
- securing and preserving features of historic or public interest.
Our article “How to Comment on Planning Applications” is a useful and thorough guide for anyone who wants to comment on – or object to – a planning application.
We also encourage and support local communities in Oxford who are developing Neighbourhood Plans.
For our comments on recent local planning applications please see under ‘Local applications‘ in the drop-down menu. These comments are submitted to Oxford City Council by our Planning Group: Gillian Argyle, Elise Benjamin, Clive Booth, Gillian Coates, John Goddard, Richard Haywood, Eleanor Howard, Neil MacLennan, Sue Stewart, Peter Thompson and Tim Treacher.
For other developments our most recent articles and comments are below with more in the drop-down menu under ‘Large developments‘.
You can download a two-sided A4 description of the Planning Group here.
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Decision time on growth
A guide
17 July 2022
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Parks and Green Spaces
OCS response to the City Council's 'Parks & Green Spaces' survey
5 April 2022
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Oxon Plan 2050 – OCS comments
Our views on this important consultation
14 October 2021
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How can we ensure good growth in Oxfordshire?
We organised four debates about the future of Oxfordshire
2 June 2021
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OCS objects to planning free-for-all
Losing local oversight of changes could lead to poor developments.
2 February 2021
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Wolvercote Paper Mill GP Surgery
Developers want to scrap medical centre
23 November 2020