®Planning appeal decision
Freeland Methodist Church, Wroslyn Road, Freeland, Oxfordshire, OX29 8AQ
the conversion of Methodist Church (F1) to form a single dwelling, with associated works
- Authority
- West Oxfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Parsons J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the development would preserve the Grade II listed building, known as the Chapel, or any feature of special architectural or historic interest it possesses
- Whether an appropriate alternative would exist to the chapel's use, having regard to local plan policy
- The effect of the proposal on the living conditions of residents, having regard to external amenity space provision
What decided it
The appellant failed to demonstrate that residential use was the optimum viable use for the listed building's conservation, as an alternative community shop and café use was viable and would cause less harm to the building's heritage significance.
The less than substantial harm to the listed building, carrying considerable importance and weight, was not outweighed by the very modest benefits of a single dwelling to housing supply and re-use of a vacant building, particularly given the availability of a more heritage-sympathetic viable alternative use.
Framework references: 209, 203
Plan policies cited: Policy E5, Policy OS4, Policy OS2, Policy H2, Policy EH9, Policy EH11
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.