Council Leader urges Government’s Oxford Growth Commission to put communities first

Published Thursday 30 July 2026

The Government established the Oxford Growth Commission to explore how growth across the region can be accelerated. Its recommendations, expected later this year, are likely to influence future decisions affecting South Oxfordshire, including where new homes are built, investment in infrastructure, transport and local services.

South Oxfordshire District Council Leader, Councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers, has written to the Chair of the Commission, Neale Coleman CBE, setting out the council’s priorities ahead of the Commission’s final report.

While welcoming the Commission’s work on accelerating allocated housing sites, and it’s recognition that Oxfordshire’s biggest barriers to growth include infrastructure, utilities and skills, the council’s response argues that future growth must be balanced, sustainable and deliver real benefits for local communities.

The letter highlights the pressures many residents already experience, including congested roads, overstretched GP surgeries, pressure on wastewater infrastructure and utilities, and the shortage of genuinely affordable homes. It argues that new development should be matched by timely investment in the infrastructure and public services communities need.

South Oxfordshire has already allocated land for thousands of new homes through its adopted Local Plan. However, many of these homes are not being built because of factors outside the council’s control, including wastewater capacity, infrastructure constraints, viability challenges and wider market conditions that have slowed developers’ build-out rates.

Rather than continually identifying additional sites for development, the letter argues that the priority should be removing these barriers and accelerating the delivery of homes that have already been planned.

Councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said:

“South Oxfordshire is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, and we all want to see it continue to thrive.

“We know our district needs new homes, jobs and investment. But growth has to work for people. That means making sure new development is supported by roads, schools, GP surgeries, utilities and green spaces, rather than expecting communities to catch up afterwards.

“South Oxfordshire has already planned for significant growth. The challenge today isn’t simply allocating more land for housing, it’s making sure the homes we’ve already planned actually get built. That means tackling infrastructure constraints, improving utilities, removing barriers to delivery and ensuring growth happens in the right places, at the right pace and with the services communities need.

“I welcome the Commission’s recognition that infrastructure is one of the biggest barriers to sustainable growth, and I hope its final recommendations will help unlock the investment needed to deliver homes, protect our environment and improve quality of life for both existing and future residents.”

The letter also encourages the Commission to recognise South Oxfordshire’s role in Oxfordshire’s wider economy. It argues that supporting thriving market towns, villages and employment hubs across the district, investing in skills and improving transport connections will create stronger and more resilient economic growth than relying on development concentrated in a single location.

The Oxford Growth Commission is expected to publish its final recommendations to Government this autumn. South Oxfordshire District Council will continue to work constructively with the Commission and partners across the county to help shape a future that delivers prosperity alongside the infrastructure, services and environmental protections needed to support thriving communities.