9.1 Witney is a vibrant and historic market town and the largest in West Oxfordshire with a population of about 26,000. It is the main service centre serving the employment, shopping, leisure and other needs of much of West Oxfordshire's residents. The town has the best transport connections in the district context, although traffic congestion is a significant issue. Reflecting this role Witney has been the location for much of the District's past housing and employment growth and its population has doubled in the last 30 years. The town continues to be the most sustainable location for further development although the following issues and challenges, identified from background evidence and through consultation, must be addressed.

9.2 Traffic congestion and air pollution in the historic central area is a key issue. Achievement of an additional river crossing has been a long term objective to help relieve congestion at Bridge Street. The County Highway Authority has identified the Cogges Link Road as the most effective scheme. Planning permission for this road was granted in 2009 however the scheme is subject to statutory procedures before construction can commence. In addition proposals for a new junction between the A40 and Downs Road are at an advanced stage with developer and public funding committed. Delivery of these highway schemes will continue to be a priority.

9.3 Land is also safeguarded for two other highway schemes - between Mill Street and Hailey Road (West End Link Phase 2) to provide a further river crossing and at the A40 Shores Green junction to the east of Witney to provide west facing slip roads. These schemes, if progressed, will help to relieve congestion in conjunction with the Cogges Link Road but are not in the County highway programme and do not have any funding allocated at present. The West End Link Phase 2 will be expected to be delivered if any further significant development occurs to the north of the town. These safeguarded schemes will need to be progressed with the utmost urgency in the event that the Cogges Link Road is not built.

9.4 Given the highway constraints in the town, there is a particular need to enhance pedestrian, cycle and public transport links and infrastructure. The management of parking is also part of the package to facilitate use of more sustainable modes of transport and to reduce car use for short journeys. The Council's long standing position has been not to charge for parking to maintain the attractiveness of the town centre in relation to competitors. Car parking is managed through time restrictions - the effectiveness of which will be kept under review, particularly following the opening of Marriotts Walk town centre expansion.

9.5 Numbering error - no paragraph

9.6 There have been several flood instances in the town and severe flooding occurred in July 2007. This was attributed to several causes but included over land flow and drainage issues as well as flooding from the River Windrush. Flood occurrence and severity is expected to increase with climate change and it is national policy that new development is directed away from natural floodplains and areas of high flood risk (the boundaries of these areas in Witney have been revised). Any significant new development in the town will also need to ensure that adequate drainage and flood mitigation measures are implemented.

9.7 The Council has been working with the Environment Agency and other partners to identify and address flooding issues [1]. The need for significant storage ponds to the north of the town to mitigate flooding in the Hailey Road area has been identified although it is unlikely to gain funding through the Environment Agency.

9.8 Witney grew up as a valley settlement near crossing points of the River Windrush. The town retains its historic character and much of the central area of the town is within an extensive Conservation Area where there are many listed buildings lining the historic streets. The Conservation Area also includes Newland and the area surrounding Cogges Manor Farm, a Scheduled Ancient Monument. A Conservation Area Character Appraisal for Witney is nearing completion and the Conservation Area boundary is being revised. The related Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement document will further inform actions to enhance the area.

9.9 Within Witney there are many important open spaces such as Church Green and Woodgreen which contribute to the town's character. These open spaces will continue to be protected. Church Green, on the edge of the town centre, is surrounded by fine architecture and survives from the layout of the Bishop of Winchester's planned town of the early 13th century. It is also a sensitive area where traffic and parking impinges significantly on its character. The Council will continue the policy approach to resist further commercial development which would impact upon the character of this area.

9.10 The landscape surrounding the town is a mix of valley floor, valley side and open ridge and is generally sensitive to new development [2]. Land to the north and east rises to form a prominent ridge which is a backdrop in many views to and from the town and where there are remnants of the ancient landscape of the Wychwood Forest. There are several villages in relatively close proximity to the edge of Witney including Hailey, Ducklington, and Curbridge whose separate identity should be protected.

9.11 The river Windrush and associated floodplain forms a significant green corridor close to the heart of Witney. It is an important part of the character of the town and historic setting of Cogges as well as being an ecological and recreational resource. A management strategy for the area was agreed by the Council in 2005 - the Windrush in Witney Project.

9.12 Significant investment on supporting community infrastructure will be needed to satisfactorily accommodate major new development. Existing primary schools are largely at capacity and further secondary school provision will also be needed. How future secondary education will be delivered in Witney is a key challenge. There are well-advanced proposals to redevelop the Abingdon and Witney College although these are now being reassessed following withdrawal of Government funding. The need for new additional healthcare facilities is being kept under review by Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust.

9.13 The town's leisure facilities are very well used and the main leisure centre has recently undergone some refurbishment. There is ongoing need for further investment in Witney's built sports facilities and this is subject to current review through a West Oxfordshire Facilities Strategy. There is a need for further allotments - with a current waiting list of around 2 years. New residential development will need to make satisfactory provision of play space, playing pitches and facilities for young people, as well as general amenity space and provision for biodiversity.

9.14 Witney is the main economic centre in the District and its role as a centre for blanket manufacturing was important in the town's expansion. Today the economy is diverse with a vibrant town centre, a range of leisure and tourist facilities and accommodation, several small employment sites throughout the town and large employment estates on the southern and western edges. The town retains a strong manufacturing and engineering presence, and the availability of good quality employment sites on the western side of the town has attracted significant investment, including some high technology manufacturers linked to the health care sector.

9.15 The retention of existing employment sites is significant to the supply of premises offering a range of employment locations. Some upgrading of existing employment premises is needed and this can be facilitated by the availability of new land, enabling businesses to move and expand. There is considerable potential for redevelopment of Station Lane employment estates in the medium to longer term. Relieving congestion and investment in the transport infrastructure is also necessary to support further economic growth. The delivery of the A40/Downs Road junction in particular is identified as a priority to support further employment development to the west of Witney.

9.16 Around 10ha of land remains available within the large employment area to the west of the town (including 2.3ha west of Downs Road, 1.4ha east of Downs Road and land with outstanding planning permission east of Downs Road). There are good prospects for these sites to be developed; this land will be retained in the strategy.

9.17 As the location to meet a significant part of the housing requirement, and where demand for employment premises is strongest[3] , Witney requires a significant allocation of land to provide flexibility in the employment land supply and opportunities for inward investment in the longer term up to 2026. Land to the west of Witney has the best potential to accommodate significant employment development, contribute to the Oxfordshire high tech economy and where highway access will be improved through delivery of the proposed A40/Downs Road junction.

9.18 Witney has a vibrant town centre which has remained buoyant during the current economic downturn; it retains much of its historic character as a market town. The recent Marriotts Walk town centre expansion has enhanced the shopping and leisure offer, providing a range of shops, restaurants and a cinema. An extension to the Woolgate Centre is also under construction.

9.19 Food shopping is well catered for with Sainsburys, Waitrose and Somerfield stores and a variety of smaller shops throughout the town. The recent opening of a Lidl supermarket and Marks and Spencer has complemented the food shopping offer.

9.20 In this context existing and planned development will meet Witney's shopping needs in the short to medium term[4] . Longer term needs will be kept under review. An area of potential for further shopping development and civic facilities has been identified south of Welch Way opposite the Marriotts Walk development and adjacent to the college redevelopment.

9.21 Changes within the town centre following the opening of Marriotts Walk will need to be monitored. Through the review of the Conservation Area and opportunities for enhancement we will seek appropriate investment in the public realm to maintain the centre's character and vibrancy. The town centre boundary and primary shopping frontage will be revised to include Marriotts Walk.

9.22 Witney is the main area of housing need in the District with about 900 people on the waiting list for affordable housing. Further residential development in the town must provide a wide range of new homes, including affordable housing, as well as meet the needs of older people.

9.23 In order to meet the South East Plan housing figures, the preferred spatial strategy identifies provision for at least 3000 new homes in Witney between 2006 and 2026. About 1,500 homes have already been built or are committed (at 1 October 2009). There is only limited capacity to provide further housing within the existing built up area as there are no large previously developed sites remaining and in need of redevelopment[5] . There is therefore a need for at least one major development site (of about 1000 dwellings in scale) to be identified on the fringe of Witney. A need has also been identified for the provision of additional land for business uses on the edge of the town.

9.24 Several strategic site options have been considered to the north, east, south and west of the town (an assessment of these options is available in the Witney Sustainability Appraisal).

9.25 Land to the west is identified as the most sustainable and deliverable option to meet housing and other needs during the next 10 years and received the most support through public consultation. Development to the west of the town is not dependent on construction of the Cogges Link Road, puts less pressure on the most sensitive areas of the highway network (Bridge Street and the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)), and with the incorporation of significant green infrastructure, will have less overall landscape impact. There will be good highway connections; construction of the A40/Downs Road junction is a prerequisite of further significant development in this area. Existing pedestrian and cycle routes and high frequency bus services serving the town centre and Oxford can be linked to new development in this area. Employment land on the western edge has proven attractiveness to businesses and is a good location to meet the longer term employment needs of the town. A large area of agricultural land is available for the development of a sustainable urban extension accommodating a mix of uses, including a range of housing, education and community facilities, employment and leisure development. A strategic development area is identified to include an urban extension and opportunities for further employment and leisure development within and adjoining the existing employment area.

9.26 Land to the north of Witney has potential to deliver additional housing in the longer term. This large area of farmland could accommodate a mix of uses including community facilities and is relatively accessible to the town centre. However, in the absence of the Cogges Link Road and/or the West End Link river crossing, development on the site would add an unacceptable level of traffic to the east of the town worsening congestion and air quality in the Bridge Street area and AQMA. Any development in this area must also address the severe flooding problems, although there is potential to deliver a flood attenuation scheme to reduce flood risk in the Hailey Road corridor. The site is an area of high landscape quality and forms part of the physical gap between Witney and Hailey, but is less prominent in wider views compared to land to the east. This more localised landscape impact would need to be addressed as part of any new development through provision of a positive landscape framework to create a new town edge.

9.27 Land to the east and north east of Witney has been promoted for development by the landowner. Although these sites are relatively accessible to the town centre, land to the east is closely associated with implementation of the Cogges Link Road. Construction of this new distributor road would isolate much of the land on the eastern edge. These areas are constrained by their topography and landscape value, forming part of the prominent ridge around the east of the town. Potential for new housing here is very limited without significant adverse visual impacts.

9.28 Land to the south beyond the A40 and between the villages of Ducklington and Curbridge has been promoted as a possible strategic site option. The site surrounds the town's sewage treatment works and abattoir. Development here would result in unsustainable urban sprawl, dependent on car travel and would create a poor level of residential amenity. It is not considered a sustainable option.