®Planning appeal decision
Land East Of Witney Road, Ducklington, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 7TN
up to 120 dwellings with associated landscaping and infrastructure. Detailed vehicular access from Witney Road with all other matters reserved
- Authority
- West Oxfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Longmuir J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area particularly in terms of its scale, coalescence, loss of green space and contexts including the relationship with Witney Lake and Country Park and the Windrush Valley
- the effect of the proposal on the significance of the Ducklington Conservation Area having particular regard to the effect on its setting
What decided it
The substantial and worsening shortfall in five-year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance, and the benefits of the housing (including 40% affordable housing) outweighed the limited landscape and very limited heritage harms.
The benefits of up to 120 dwellings (40% affordable) and wider social and economic benefits outweighed the limited harm to character and appearance and the very limited ('low point within less than substantial') heritage harm to the Conservation Area, such that adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under the tilted balance.
Framework references: 7, 8, 11, 56, 57, 60, 62, 77, 126, 130, 174, 179, 185, 195, 199, 202
Plan policies cited: OS1, OS2, OS4, EH2, EH4, EH5, EH9, H1, H2, H3, OS5, T1, T3
Judgments cited: Kedleston Hall
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.