Land adjoining Reddish Manor, Peppard Road, Sonning Common, RG4 9NP

the erection of three new dwellings with primary access off Peppard Road, with some matters reserved

Authority: South Oxfordshire District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: O'Connor H

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the site provides a suitable location for residential development having regard to local planning policies
The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including consideration of protected trees and the adjacent Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
The effect of the proposal on biodiversity

What decided it

The proposal conflicts with the up-to-date development plan by locating residential development outside the built-up area without meeting any specified exceptions, and causes significant harm to landscape character, the AONB setting and biodiversity that cannot be justified by the modest housing benefits.

The limited benefits of three additional dwellings and modest economic activity were outweighed by significant harm to character and appearance, ecological value, and conflict with the housing delivery strategy, with great weight attributed to harm to the AONB setting.

Framework references: 12, 69, 176, 179, 180

Plan policies cited: Policy H1, Policy H3, Policy H4, Policy H16, Policy ENV1, Policy ENV2, Policy ENV3

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

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