West Oxfordshire

West Oxfordshire lies to the west of the city of Oxford on the western edge of the South East Region and adjoins the county boundary with Gloucestershire. The upper reaches of the River Thames form the southern boundary and the Cotswolds Hills cover the north-western part of the district. Residents and visitors to the district enjoy a high quality environment with a strong sense of place derived from the character of its buildings set in attractive rolling countryside and river valleys. Tourism is an important part of the local economy and the attractions of Woodstock (with Blenheim Palace) and Burford (with Cotswold Wildlife Park) are situated within the district.

With a population of about 100,000 people and an overall density of around 1.4 persons per hectare, West Oxfordshire is one of the most rural authorities within the SE Region. A third of the district is in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and 2% lies within the Green Belt surrounding Oxford City. This means the district faces specific challenges in ensuring all residents can access the services and facilities they need, and places great importance on protecting and enhancing the environment and managing the impacts of climate change.

The local economy performs well with above average levels of entrepreneurial activity, low unemployment and a tight labour market. The area is an attractive place to live for skilled staff with a diverse economy including clusters of certain high technology industry and a strong tourism sector worth over £200 million annually to the district's economy. However, high house prices in the district can make it difficult for young people and families to stay in the area, and combined with an ageing population this creates challenges for communities in maintaining the vibrancy and prosperity of the towns and villages.

District community strategy vision

West Oxfordshire: One of the best places to live, work and visit.

Priorities

Priorities include (for further information please see the draft West Oxfordshire Sustainable Community Strategy and the delivery plan):

• Sustaining economically prosperous and vibrant towns and villages.
• Maintaining and improving the health and wellbeing of all residents.
• Keeping West Oxfordshire as a clean, beautiful place of high environmental quality whilst seeking to reduce the causes of and adverse impacts of climate change.
• Addressing the specific challenges of living in rural West Oxfordshire in terms of access to services and facilities.

Further information

Find out more at www.westoxon.gov.uk.

South Oxfordshire Partnership is also consulting on its Sustainable Community Strategy for the future of the district.

For further details of the West strategy contact Ben Threadgold on 01993 861560 or visit www.westoxon.gov.uk/scs.

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