Planning Application Details

The proposed development would be contrary to Government guidance in PPG3 Housing and appropriate locations and densities for new housing and to the provisions of the adopted South Oxfordshire District Council which seeks to protect the District's countryside from adverse development and enhance the environment whenever opportunities arise (G1). Development in the countryside and on the edge of settlements where it would extend the built-up area into the countryside will not normally be allowed except for agriculture and forestry (G5). Within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty the primary aim is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty and special landscape quality of the area. Development which would harm the beauty of the area will not be permitted (C2). New housing within smaller villages such as Moulsford will be limited to strict and acceptable infill (one or two dwellings) (Policy H5) and will not be permitted on the edge of settlements which would extend the built-up area into the countryside (H6). On all new development the Council will ensure that proposal provide for a safe and convenient access to the highway network (G10). On sites which have potential archaeological significance developers will be required to make provision for an archaeological field evaluation before the determination of the application to enable an informed and reasoned planning decision to be made (CON17). In this case the site is a paddock in the open countryside outside the built-up limits of Moulsford which is not a village with a range of services and facilities and is in an area designated as being of outstanding natural beauty. The site access is proposed onto Underhill which lacks adequate visibility at its junction with The Street. The site is also potentially of archaeological importance. The proposal to provide three detached houses on a site of 0.697 hectares represents an inappropriate and unsustainable location and density of development which would extend the built-up limits of development into open countryside detracting from the rural character and beauty of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; would involve an unacceptable intensification of vehicular use at a substandard junction onto The Street detrimental to the safety and convenience of users of the public highway; and in the absence of a field evaluation could harm important archaeological features on the site. In this case there is insufficient justification for making an exception to the Council's policies.