Thame Neighbourhood Plan – Latest News
On Tuesday 14th May, Thame Town Council unanimously approved the revised Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP2) as ready for submission to South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) for one last round of consultation and independent examination.
The award-winning Thame Neighbourhood Plan was created by the community to ensure that Thame preserves its character and market town feel. The new Plan will ensure the town retains its close relationship with the open countryside, maintains markets, festivals, and events; continues to act as a centre for surrounding areas, and remains attractive to residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Update: Friday 13th June 2024
The Thame Neighbourhood Plan consultation is now underway. It began on Thursday, 13th June 2024 and will conclude on Thursday, 25th July 2024.
On 20 May 2024, Thame Town Council issued a special newsletter explaining that we had submitted the Thame Neighbourhood Plan for examination. As part of the process, the District Council have taken on the duty of carrying out the last consultation.
You can view and comment on the submitted plan via the District Council’s website or by visiting Thame library, where a copy of the Plan and its supporting documents are now available.
Thame Library is open:
Monday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Tuesday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9:00 am – 7.00 pm
Friday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Sunday: Closed
The Road to Referendum
The Thame Neighbourhood Plan is now in the hands of South Oxfordshire District Council. Following their consultation, an independent examiner will be appointed to review the Plan and any comments made in response to it.
The independent examiner will judge the Neighbourhood Plan against a set of criteria to ensure it meets certain requirements, including:
– That the Plan has been written with regard to National Planning Policy and guidance,
– That it does not undermine the strategic policies of the District Council’s Local Plan,
– That it has given special regard to historic assets, like our listed buildings and conservation area,
– That it contributes to the achievement of sustainable development, and
– That it meets human rights requirements and also meets EU obligations relating to the protection of the environment, habitats and species.
Following this, the examiner will issue a report advising if the plan can proceed to referendum.
If the examiner approves the plan, South Oxfordshire District Council will organise the referendum and those registered to vote in Thame will decide whether the Plan should be brought into force (“made”) or not.
If more than 50% of all people who turn out, vote in favour of making the Plan, then it will become part of the suite of planning policies used by the District Council to help shape and determine planning applications in Thame.
The Plan That Thame Built
Thame Town Council’s role was to facilitate community involvement, collate feedback, deal with legalities, and prepare the documentation in readiness for consultation and examination.
In 2021, after the first consultation for the new Neighbourhood Plan, it was found that the residents and businesses of Thame wanted the Plan to keep the same effective clear vision and objectives. 500 sets of comments were made by the public. After a further two consultations and an additional 1,100 sets of comments later, the Submission Plan was presented to Thame’s Full Council.
What’s in the Plan?
While the first Thame Neighbourhood Plan mostly focused on guiding development for new parts of the town, TNP2 also encourages positive change within established areas. It will work to keep parking spaces in the Town Centre, propose a site for a budget supermarket, along with a new community centre, wellbeing facilities, and more.
The Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP2) includes provisions for Thame’s future housing and employment needs, new open spaces, walking and cycling routes, the future of the Cattle Market and Town Centre parking, and environmental initiatives.
To prepare for the development away from the main housing and employment sites, it includes design codes and policies for Thame that will help shape development in existing areas to ensure the town retains its character for future generations.
For example, the Plan will ensure that the views from Oxford Road into the countryside at Rycote Meadow will be preserved, and walkways will be established or improved providing better links to the Town Centre.
