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Dismissed19 April 20233272481

Land South of Widnell Lane, Arncott, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX25 1AE

Planning appeal 3272481 at Land South of Widnell Lane, Arncott, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX25 1AE (Cherwell District Council) was dismissed on 19 April 2023 by Inspector Johnson W, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the appeal site and surrounding area.

a material change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 12 gypsy/traveller families, each with 2 caravans, including improvement of access, laying of hardstanding and the installation of package sewage treatment plant

Authority
Cherwell District Council
Appeal type
minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Hearing
Development
caravan-gypsy · Change of use
Inspector
Johnson W
Postcode
OX25 1AE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the appeal site and surrounding area
  • the effect of the proposal on biodiversity and protected species
  • the effect of the proposal with regard to flood risk, with particular regard to surface water drainage

What decided it

The unresolved harm to protected species (Great Crested Newts) and the failure to demonstrate an adequate surface water drainage/flood risk solution together outweighed the benefits of the scheme.

The very significant harm relating to protected species and flood risk/drainage significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits of much-needed gypsy/traveller pitch provision and moderate economic benefits.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy ESD13Policy ESD15Policy C8Policy C28Policy ESD10Policy ESD6
Judgments
Smith vs Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Others [2021] EWHC 1650 (Admin) (31 October 2022)

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023

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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.