Village categorisation

A drawing of a face

Sibford Ferris and Gower Parish Councils seek your views on their proposal for a change in village categorisation. Cherwell District Council (CDC) have classified ‘The Sibfords’ as a Category A Service Centre in their Local Plan that was formally adopted in 2015.

As a Category A Service Centre The Sibfords are viewed by CDC in the same way as other Category A villages eg. Kidlington, Bloxham, Deddington, Adderbury etc. Category A villages are defined by CDC with common targets relating to planning and development, these being based on the perceived serviceability, supportability and sustainability of the community.

The Parish Councils (Ferris and Gower) are seeking a revision to the current village categorisation of ‘The Sibfords’ moving from a single Category A Service Centre to two Category B villages (Ferris and Gower), which we believe closer matches the reality of our communities.

CDC are about to start consultation to produce a revised Local Plan that will operate until 2040 and are looking to identify issues and options with the current plan / policy and where appropriate make changes / amendments. Consultation will take place over 2 years but issues need to be identified by Mid August.

The Parish Councils welcome your thoughts on the decision to seek a change in village categorisation. You can contact the councils via email:


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