®Planning appeal decision
Land to the West of Great Western Park (Valley Park), Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 6DU
Planning appeal 3346046 at Land to the West of Great Western Park (Valley Park), Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 6DU (Vale of White Horse District Council) was dismissed on 12 November 2024 by Inspector Edwards J, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed crossings would be designed so as to protect the watercourse habitat and associated wildlife corridor.
Outline planning application for a residential development of up to 4,254 dwellings, mixed-use local centres, primary schools, sports pitches, community and leisure facilities, special needs school, open space and extensive green infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping, attenuation areas, diversions to public rights of way, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated works; appeal concerns approval of details pursuant to condition 28 (scheme detailing number, location and design of crossings over the retained watercourse(s))
- Authority
- Vale of White Horse District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- residential · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Edwards J
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed crossings would be designed so as to protect the watercourse habitat and associated wildlife corridor
What decided it
The proposed culvert crossings would harm the watercourse habitat and wildlife corridor, and the necessary mitigation and enhancement measures could not be secured through this appeal.
the significant social and economic benefits of the wider permitted development did not outweigh the failure of the crossing details to protect the watercourse habitat, as those benefits would still be delivered even if the appeal were dismissed
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Development Policy 30Core Policy 46
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
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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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.