Land North Of Manor Farm, Noke, OX3 9TU

Development of a ground mounted solar farm incorporating the installation of solar PV panels, associated infrastructure and access, as well as landscape planting and designated ecological enhancement areas

Authority: Cherwell District Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: utilities-energy · Major offices/R&D/light industry
Inspector: Gethin T

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding landscape

What decided it

The substantial and extensive environmental, social and economic benefits of the renewable energy development, particularly the generation of up to 26.6 megawatts of renewable energy and significant biodiversity net gain, were sufficient to outweigh the moderate landscape harm and conflict with development plan policies.

Framework references: 155

Plan policies cited: Policy ESD 14, Policy C28, Policy ESD 5, Policy ESD 13, Policy ESD 15, Policy ESD 10

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.