In January 2026, the Stonesfield Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to the Independent Examiner who would review the Plan, together with a raft of supporting documentation, to ensure that the Plan’s Policies conform with National and Local Planning guidelines and prescribed basic conditions.
The Examiner submitted his report earlier in July 2026 detailing the modifications which he required for the Plan to be acceptable. The Parish Council has accepted all of the modifications the Examiner has requested. The District Council is now in the process of reviewing his Report and has until early September to reach a conclusion.
This is the Examiner’s Summary and Conclusion:
Summary
1. The Plan sets out a range of policies to guide and direct development proposals in the period up to 2041. It is distinctive in addressing a specific set of issues that have been identified and refined by the wider community to safeguard the character and setting of the neighbourhood area and to designate a package of Local Green Spaces.
2. Following the independent examination of the Plan, I have concluded that the Stonesfield Neighbourhood Development Plan meets the basic conditions for the preparation of a neighbourhood plan subject to a series of recommended modifications.
Conclusion
3. On the basis of the findings in this report, I recommend to West Oxfordshire District Council that subject to the incorporation of the modifications set out in this report that the Stonesfield Neighbourhood Development Plan should proceed to referendum.
The Examiner’s full report is now published on the District Council’s website for everybody to read at:
Overall, the Examiner’s report is positive. He visited the village in March and gained a clear understanding of the factors important to residents, particularly the areas that the Parish Council wished to be designated as Local Green Spaces. We’re pleased that the Examiner agreed with all but three of the 16 sites we proposed to be LGSs, especially the Manor Field. This is his conclusion regarding the Manor Field:
7.139 I have carefully considered the extent to which the proposed LGS will bring additional local benefit to the location of the site in the Cotswold National Landscape. Based on all the evidence I am satisfied that this is the case. It is a specific and clearly-defined parcel of land which provides a high degree of landscape and recreational value.
7.140 In all the circumstances I am satisfied that the proposed LGS meets the criteria for such designation.
We must now wait to hear what the District Council says about our Plan in September.
