®Planning appeal decision
Land West of Little Smiths Farm, Drayton, OX14 4JP
- Authority
- Vale of White Horse
- Appeal type
- major · Planning
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- residential
- Postcode
- OX14 4JP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether or not the Council has a policy compliant housing land supply
- The location of the appeal scheme having regard to the settlement boundary and any conflict with the spatial strategy of the Development Plan
- Whether there is sufficient infrastructure to support the appeal proposal
What decided it
The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply engaged the Framework's presumption in favour of sustainable development, which was not outweighed by the limited heritage, landscape and agricultural land harms identified.
The substantial benefits of market and affordable housing delivery, together with moderate economic and transport benefits, outweighed the limited heritage harm, loss of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land and conflict with the settlement strategy, so the presumption in favour of sustainable development tipped the balance in favour of granting permission.
Framework references: S3, S5, HE6, DP3, DM6, DM3c, TR3, TR6, N2, DP4
Plan policies cited: Policy LP1 CP3, Policy LP1 CP4, Policy LP1 CP8, Policy LP2 CP4a, Policy LP2 CP8a, Policy LP1 CP39, Policy LP2 DP36, Policy LP2 DP37, Policy LP2 DP38, Policy LP1 CP43, Policy LP1 CP44, Policy LP1 DP24, Policy LP1CP24, Policy LP2DP33, Policy LP1CP7, Policy LP2 DP20, Policy DP27 of the adopted Local Plan 2031 Part 2, Policy P-LF2 (Drayton Neighbourhood Plan)
Judgments cited: Dorchester Living v SSLUHC [2024] EWHC 2332 (Admin)
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.