Conditions / Refusal Reasons
That the proposed combination of use of the site for housing and employment would be contrary to the general, environmental, transport and housing policies of the adopted Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2011 (particularly policies G1, G2, G5, T1, EN1, E1, E4, H1, H3, H4) and the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 (particularly policies G1, G2, G3, G4, C2, C4, H5, H6 and E6) which seek to resist development in the countryside and to locate new development within settlements and in particular close to services and community facilities and areas well served by sustainable means of transport. Within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty the aim is to conserve and enhance the quality of the landscape and to protect it from development that is likely to have an adverse effect on its character and appearance. In this case the site is not an infill plot, nor in a village where schemes of up to 9 dwellings will be permitted and is not a sustainable location for further housing development. The development would, in combination with the proposed work place building, represent an unacceptable extension of development into the open countryside which would be detrimental to the rural character and setting of the village of North Moreton and of the countryside within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
That the proposal to introduce housing development on part of the site would conflict with Policy E6 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 which seeks to resist development of land used by service trades unless the existing use is giving rise to nuisance. The existing premises accommodates a service trade which in the past has given rise to nuisance through noise and pollution but appropriate measures are now in place to combat that. There is evidence of a continued need for the premises for a service trade or employment use such that Development Plan policies should not be set aside.
That notwithstanding the objection in principle given the reasons set out in 1 and 2 above the development if permitted would conflict with Policy H8 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 which requires on sites where housing development is acceptable in principle a density of 30 dwellings or more per hectare. The proposal for the erection of two large dwellings on this site cannot therefore be justified and the development of the site to a greater density to that proposed would not be out of character with the area.
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