Agenda item

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

The Committee considered application 23/00173/OUT, an outline planning application for up to 147 homes, public open space, flexible recreational playing field area and sports pitches with associated car parking, alongside landscaping, ecological enhancements, SuDs, green/blue and hard infrastructure, with vehicular and pedestrian/cycle accesses, and all associated works (all matters reserved except for means of access) at Land South of Green Lane, Chesterton for Wates Developments.

Stephen Webster, Chesterton Parish Council, addressed the Committee in objection to the application.

John Tarvit, on behalf of the applicant, Wates Developments, addressed the committee in support of the application.

In reaching its decision the Committee considered the officers’ report and presentation, addresses of the public speakers and the written updates.

Resolved

That application 23/00173/OUT be refused, in line with the officer’s recommendation, for the following reasons:

1.         The proposals would result in a disproportionate development when considered against the scale of the existing village and the cumulative impact of growth already carried out in village within the plan period and available facilities within the village and would be predominantly reliant on the private car to carry out day-to-day activity and the application site is not well located to existing services and facilities. The proposals would cause significant adverse landscape and impacts to the settlement character which could not be avoided or mitigated by the proposed development. Further the delivery of infrastructure necessary to make the development acceptable would not be capable of being accommodated within the village and instead would need to be provided elsewhere which would be predominantly reliant by private car and would be contrary to the aims of sustainable growth of housing across the District set out in the Local Plan and sustainable travel initiatives to use sustainable modes of transport. The proposals would be harmful development to the village of Chesterton and the wider aims of Policies Villages 1 and Villages 2 and result in unsustainable growth that would not be capable of mitigation. The proposals would therefore be contrary to Policies PSD1, BSC1, ESD1, ESD13, ESD15, Villages 1 and Villages 2 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1; saved Policies C28 and C30 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and the aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.         The proposals, by reason of the scale and impact on the overall landscape and settlement character would cause harm to the approaches along Green Lane and the unnamed lane to Little Chesterton, and to the overall character of the settlement of Chesterton and its relationship to the surrounding countryside resulting in significant extension and harm to open countryside in particular to the south and west of the existing village. This combined with developments of the Bicester Sports Association in particular would result in a potential negative impact on the individual identity of Chesterton and Little Chesterton. The proposals would therefore be contrary to Policies PSD1, ESD1, ESD13, ESD15, Villages 1 and Villages 2 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1; saved Policies C28 and C30 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and the aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.

3.         In the absence of a satisfactory unilateral undertaking or any other form of Section 106 legal agreement, the local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development provides for appropriate infrastructure contributions required as a result of the development, and 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 Part 1, CDC’s Planning Obligations SPD 2018 and Government guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework.