®Planning appeal decision
Culham Hill, Culham, OX14 3DT
Planning appeal 3320428 at Culham Hill, Culham, OX14 3DT (South Oxfordshire District Council) was dismissed on 10 August 2023 by Inspector Edwards J, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would incorporate inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) and LP policies.
change of use of land from agricultural land to farm park, wildlife and outdoor activity centre, associated buildings and outdoor play structures, mountain bike trail, formation of a new vehicle / pedestrian access off the A415, associated engineering works, drainage and landscaping
- Authority
- South Oxfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- leisure-sport · Change of use
- Inspector
- Edwards J
- Postcode
- OX14 3DT
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would incorporate inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) and LP policies
- its effect on the character and appearance of the area
- whether the development would be in a suitable location having regard to LP policies
- if the proposal would include inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it
What decided it
The harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and harm to character and appearance was not clearly outweighed by the identified benefits, so very special circumstances did not exist.
the very substantial harm to the Green Belt (inappropriateness, openness and character/appearance) and the very substantial benefits of the scheme were finely balanced, and because harm must be 'clearly outweighed' for very special circumstances to exist, the balance tipped against the proposal
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy STRAT6Policy STRAT1Policy STRAT9Policy ENV1Policy DES1Policy DES2Policy EMP10Policy EMP11Policy INF1Policy TRANS2Policy TRANS4Policy TRANS5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 149Paragraph 150Paragraph 138Paragraph 145Paragraph 147Paragraph 148Paragraph 84Paragraph 57
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 appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
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- Notice upheld23 July 2026328514584 Gidley Way, Horspath, Oxford, OX33 1TG
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.