Land at Watlington Road, Lewknor, OX49 5TS

an outline planning application for erection of up to 25 homes, associated open space, play area and other infrastructure with all matters reserved save for that of access into the site

Authority: South Oxfordshire
Appeal type: major · Planning
Procedure: Hearing
Development: residential
Postcode: OX49 5TS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location, taking account of the Council's spatial strategy and access to services and facilities
the effect of the proposed development on Key View 2, as identified within the Lewknor Parish Neighbourhood Plan (December 2023)

What decided it

The significant shortfall in the Council's five-year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance, and the very significant benefits of the scheme were not significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the limited harms identified.

The very significant benefits of delivering up to 25 homes, including affordable housing and economic benefits, were not significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the limited harms to locational suitability, Key View 2, wider character and appearance, and loss of agricultural land, so the tilted balance favoured granting permission.

Framework references: 11, 14

Plan policies cited: LP Policy H8, LP Policy H16, NP Policy SS1, LP Policy STRAT1, LP Policy H1, NP Policy CH3

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.