Agenda item

Refused in line with officer recommendation, Reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application 25/03234/OUT, an outline planning application (with All Matters Reserved except for access) comprising a residential development of up to 74 dwellings (Use Class C3) with associated access, landscaping, amenity space, drainage and associated works at Land to the East of Claydon Road Cropredy for Obsidian Strategic Asset Management Ltd.

Geoff Scammans, on behalf of Keep Cropredy Rural and Jacqui Smith, Vice Chair of Cropredy Parish Councill addressed the committee in objection to the application.

Paul Galgey, agent on behalf of the applicant, addressed the committee in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Aramini-Brant and seconded by Councillor Webb that application 25/03234/OUT be refused in line with the officer recommendation for the reasons set out in their report.

In reaching its decision the Committee considered the officer’s report and presentation, the addresses of the public speaker and the written updates.

Resolved

That, in line with officer recommendation, application 25/02895/OUT be refused for the following reasons (and any amendments to as deemed necessary), with authority delegated to officers, in consultation with the Chair of Planning Committee, to add or remove refusal reasons, in the event of an appeal being lodged against the refusal, in light of new evidence becoming available.

1. The proposal would be an urbanising form of development, would result in the permanent loss of open greenfield land at the northern edge of Cropredy and would extend built form into the Upper Cherwell Basin landscape. It fails to adequately recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of this part of the countryside, nor would it be sympathetic to the landscape setting of the northern edge of Cropredy and the Oxford Canal corridor. The proposal would adversely impact the rural setting of the village and would result in a harmful visual intrusion of development into the landscape and open countryside and would therefore result in harm to the rural character and appearance and quality of the area, and to views from sensitive public receptors, particularly users of the Oxford Canal towpath. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies ESD13 and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1, Saved Policies C8 and C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996, Policies SP1, CSD25, COM2, COM10, COM14, COM26 and COM27 of the draft Cherwell Local Plan 2042 and the National Planning Policy Framework including paragraphs 135 and 187.

2. The proposed development would be sited in a geographically unsustainable location with poor access to services and facilities and therefore future residents would be highly reliant on the private car to meet their day to day needs which would not reduce the need to travel and would result in increased car journeys and hence carbon emissions. The proposed development therefore conflicts with Policies ESD1 and SLE4 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1, Policies CSD1, CSD22 and CSD23 of the draft Cherwell Local Plan 2042 and Government guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework. This identified harm would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits associated with the proposed development and therefore the development does not constitute sustainable development when assessed against the National Planning Policy Framework as a whole.

3. In the absence of the completion of a satisfactory Section 106 Agreement, the Local Planning Authority is not convinced that the necessary infrastructure directly required as a result of this development, in the interests of supporting the sustainability of the village and the development, and in the interests of safeguarding public infrastructure and securing on site future maintenance arrangements, will be provided. This would be contrary to Policies INF1, PSD1, BSC3, BSC10, BSC11 and BSC12 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1, Policies COM2, COM20, COM23 and COM24 of the draft Cherwell Local Plan 2042, and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.