The decision to use it as a blueprint for future plans in communities throughout the district is to be applauded, with well deserved congratulations all round.

It is also well worth taking the time to look at and explore why it has been such a success - when other planning issues have descended into seemingly endless conflict.

John Cope, chairman of Keighley's town and country planning sub-committee, rightly points out that it would be naive to think there will never be areas of dispute, and that partnership working is the way forward. The future in Oxenhope is not going to always be a bed of roses as, for example, the current concern over a housing development under the UDP demonstrates.

But those involved in all aspects of planning for the future have a superb reference document to refer to.

A major key to the success is the grass roots involvement of so many people in the village who took ownership of the issue. Rather than sit back and wait for others to do the work, they took the lead with over a quarter of villagers making constructive suggestions, with a team of volunteers collating them.

Another key was the full acceptance and recognition that the skills and expertise of council planners were needed, leading to the partnership which has so impressed the Countryside Commission. it has taken nearly two years of dedicated work to draw up the statement. The villagers have made it clear what they would like to see, and it is to be hoped planners will implement their recommendations. There's a valuable lesson to be learned all round from this initiative.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.