Witney News
The latest Witney news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Witney 370 Homes: Appeal Lodged After 18-Month Wait
Hallam Land has gone to the Secretary of State over 370 homes at Peashell Farm, Downs Road, after West Oxfordshire failed to decide the plan in 18 months.
More stories
Witney
Witney Youth Grants: £28,500 Shared by Nine Groups
Witney Town Council has awarded £28,500 in Youth Services Grants to nine organisations, from £12,000 for Home-Start to £500 for a sailing session.
Witney
West Oxfordshire Local Plan: 2,100 Homes on Witney's Edge
Three areas around Witney are down for 700 homes each. Comments close on 9 October, and the Corn Exchange drop-in is on Tuesday 1 September.
Witney
Electric Blanket Testing Witney: Free Checks on 8 October
More than a third of blankets tested last year failed. Free county checks reach Chipping Norton on 24 September and Witney on 8 October, booking first.
Carterton
Carterton School Streets Start 2 Sept, 73% Opposed
Four Carterton roads close to most cars at school run times from 2 September, enforced by camera. In the county's consultation, 73% of 342 responses opposed it.
Witney
Witney West End Parking: Permits Now £70 a Year
Parking on West End needs a resident's permit from 17 August, at £70 a year and two per household. Witney Town Council objected and was overruled.
Jobs
West Oxfordshire unemployment: under-25s at a 4-year high
250 people aged 16 to 24 in West Oxfordshire were claiming in July, the most since December 2021. It is the only Oxfordshire district where young claims rose.
House prices
West Oxfordshire house prices fall again: £416,425 in June
West Oxfordshire prices fell 1.5% in the year to June to £416,425, while Oxfordshire as a whole rose 3.1%. Full figures by property type and district.
Woodstock
Woodstock Open Air Pool: 8,436 visits, nearly triple 2025
Woodstock's outdoor pool took 8,436 visits in June and July, against 3,039 last year and 1,570 in 2024. Heated water runs until 30 August, the season ends 27 September, adult swim £6.75.
Planning
Witney planning: councillors to decide 3% from 31 October
From 31 October your ward councillor can no longer send a planning application to committee. West Oxfordshire expects committee decisions to fall from 5% to about 3%, and its 24-member committee breaks a new cap of 13.
Witney
Blind Tiger Witney: plan to turn closed bar into jeweller's
The Market Square cocktail bar is permanently closed and a plan to turn the unit into a jeweller's shop is open for public comment until 31 August 2026.