Issue - meetings

Refused against officer recommendation. Reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application 21/03268/OUT, an outline planning application (all matters reserved except for access) for the erection of buildings comprising logistics (Use Class B8) and ancillary Office (Use Class E(g)(i)) floorspace; construction of new site access from the B4100; creation of internal roads and access routes; hard and soft landscaping including noise attenuation measures; and other associated infrastructure at OS Parcel 2636 NW Of Baynards House Ardley Green Farm Street To Horwell Farm Baynards Green for Albion Land.

Nick Barnes, Chair of Stoke Lyne Parish Council, addressed the Committee in objection to the application.

Emma Lancaster, agent on behalf of the applicant, addressed the Committee meeting in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Parkinson and seconded by Councillor Broad that application 21/03268/OUT be refused, against officer recommendation, as the proposed development would result in unjustified urbanisation of a currently open and rural site and fail to respect or reinforce the established rural character, appearance, and intrinsic qualities of the locality and the proposal was  contrary to policies ESD13 and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011–2031, saved Policies C8 and C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and the National Planning Policy Framework with the exact wording for the reasons for refusal to be delegated to officers.

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

Resolved

That, contrary to the officer’s recommendation, application 21/03268/OUT be refused for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development would result in the unjustified urbanisation of a currently open and rural site, introducing built form of significant scale, bulk and massing that would appear visually intrusive within the wider landscape. The proposal would fail to respect or reinforce the established rural character, appearance, and intrinsic qualities of the locality. Its scale, siting and form would give rise to a harmful visual impact, resulting in a prominent and enduring intrusion that would cause severe and irrevocable harm to the landscape. For these reasons, the proposal is contrary to Policies ESD13 and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011–2031, saved Policies C8 and C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996, and the principles of good design and landscape protection set out within the National Planning Policy Framework. The Local Planning Authority considers that the extent of landscape harm arising from the development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh any benefits associated with the proposal. 

2. In the absence of a satisfactory unilateral undertaking or any other form of Section 106 planning obligation legal agreement, the Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development would provide appropriate transport infrastructure and landscape and ecological mitigation required as a direct result of the development, and which would be necessary to make the impacts of the development acceptable in planning terms. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy INF1 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031, Cherwell District Council’s Developer Contributions SPD 2018 and Government guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework.