®Planning appeal decision
Orchid Lakes House, Abingdon Road, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7LP
Planning appeal 6006592 at Orchid Lakes House, Abingdon Road, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7LP (South Oxfordshire) was dismissed on 9 July 2026 by Inspector P Brennan, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies, including the effect upon the openness of the Green Belt.
the erection of pair of self-build dwellings, formation of new accesses and associated works and operations
- Authority
- South Oxfordshire
- Appeal type
- Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- residential
- Inspector
- P Brennan
- Postcode
- OX10 7LP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies, including the effect upon the openness of the Green Belt
- the impact of the development on flood risk
- whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt with considerable harm to openness and no very special circumstances exist to justify it, compounded by unresolved flood risk and failure to secure the self-build element on all parties with an interest in the land.
The harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and considerable harm to openness, together with flood risk concerns, are not clearly outweighed by the moderate benefits of housing delivery and self-build provision, therefore very special circumstances do not exist to justify the development.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy STRAT1Policy STRAT6Policy H1Policy H8Policy H16Policy EP4Policy DoT8
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 73Paragraph 110Paragraph 142Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155
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
- Dismissed29 October 202660055614 Spring Path, Thame, OX9 2EF
- Dismissed7 October 20266007830Land off Wyfold Lane, Peppard Common, RG9 5LR
- Allowed7 October 20266005521Land Rear of The Paddocks, Lower Icknield Way, Chinnor, OX39 4GR
- Allowed9 September 20266011224The Elms, Woodperry Road, Beckley, OX3 9UZ
- Allowed10 August 20266010291No. 81, Abingdon Road, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7LB
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.