Planning Application Details

The application site is situated within an isolated rural location where there is poor access to necessary facilities and services, and where there are strict controls over the provision of new housing. Furthermore, this is not a rural exceptions scheme demonstrating that the provision of a new dwelling in this unsustainable location would fulfil an objectively-assessed, demonstrable local housing need. In addition to the clear and overriding conflict with the spatial strategy of the Development Plan, the proposal would also further erode the undeveloped, rural character of this part of the countryside, to the detriment of the wider Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Moreover, the environmental harm from additional private car use would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the very modest social benefits of delivering a single dwelling and the relatively small economic gains arising during construction. The proposal would not constitute sustainable development of the sort envisaged by the National Planning Policy Framework and, in the absence of adequate overriding justification, the proposal would be contrary to policies CSS1, CS1, CSR1 and CSEN1 of the South Oxfordshire Core Strategy, policies C9, G2, G4 and D1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011.