®Planning appeal decision
Land West of Wroslyn Road, Freeland, Oxon, OX29 8AQ
outline planning application for the erection of a retirement community of up to 160 extra care units (C2 use class) with associated communal facilities and open space, with access from Wroslyn Road, (all matters reserved except access) and retention of veterinary practice in the coach house
- Authority
- West Oxfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Porter H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and local distinctiveness of Freeland, including its effect on the local landscape and relevant heritage assets
- Whether the appeal site offers an appropriate location for the proposed development, having regard to whether it would offer suitable access to a good range of services and facilities and where the need to travel by private car can be minimised
What decided it
The severe and permanent harm to the character, local distinctiveness and heritage assets of Freeland outweighed the benefits of the extra care housing and other material considerations, including the tilted balance arising from the housing land supply shortfall.
The adverse impacts of granting planning permission, principally harm to character, local distinctiveness and heritage assets, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits (including extra care housing provision and economic benefits) when assessed against the Framework policies taken as a whole.
Framework references: 11, 74, 105, 130, 134, 170, 174, 202, 203
Plan policies cited: Policy OS2, Policy H2, Policy OS4, Policy EH2, Policy EH9, Policy T1, Policy T3, Policy H1
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.