®Planning appeal decision
Land Adjacent to Oxford Road, Horspath, Oxfordshire, OX5 3DU
Planning appeal 3366706 at Land Adjacent to Oxford Road, Horspath, Oxfordshire, OX5 3DU (South Oxfordshire District Council) was allowed on 15 January 2026 by Inspector Worley E, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development, with particular regard to whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
the erection of 4 no. dwellinghouses (Permission in Principle)
- Authority
- South Oxfordshire District Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Worley E
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development, with particular regard to whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt
- Whether the development would be in a suitable location, with regard to development plan policies relating to the location of development
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- The effect of the proposal on highway safety
What decided it
The Council's inability to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply triggered the tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11, which meant that the adverse impacts of conflict with the development plan did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of housing delivery in a sustainable location.
The conflict with the development plan was given significant weight, but the benefits of housing supply, the sustainable location of the site adjacent to a Small Village, and the support from Framework policies prioritising sustainable transport and effective use of land outweighed this conflict under the tilted balance, resulting in permission being granted.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy STRAT6Policy STRAT1Policy H1Policy H8Policy H16Policy DES1Policy DES2Policy ENV1Policy TRANS5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 143Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 110Paragraph 115
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
More decisions in South Oxfordshire
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Allowed10 August 20266010291No. 81, Abingdon Road, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7LB
- Planning permission granted23 July 2026328514684 Gidley Way, Horspath, Oxford, OX33 1TG
- Notice upheld23 July 2026328514584 Gidley Way, Horspath, Oxford, OX33 1TG
- Notice upheld23 July 2026328514484 Gidley Way, Horspath, Oxford, OX33 1TG
- Notice upheld23 July 2026328514384 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.