Conditions / Refusal Reasons
The proposal would result in the permanent loss of a public house considered by the District Council to represent an essential community facility afforded specific protection by the Local Development Plan. The proposal does not demonstrate that the property has been marketed for an adequate period of time and at an adequate price having regard to the prevailing market conditions or that options have been fully explored for further actions to make the business viable. Consequently, the application has failed to demonstrate that the continued commercial use of this essential community service is economically unviable . As such, the proposal would be contrary to the aims of Policy CF1 and Policy EMP3 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and advice contained within the NPPF.
The site is located in Satwell which is not listed as a settlement in the Local Plan Settlement Hierarchy and is therefore a location where new residential development is not permitted. In addition, the siting, scale and design of the proposed dwellings would detract from the character and appearance of the site, would be out of keeping with the surrounding area, and would harm the landscape setting of the village and the quality of this part of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty contrary to policies STRAT1, H1, DES1, DES2, and ENV1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
The application fails to demonstrate how protected trees and other trees and hedges within the site which contribute positively to the character of the site and the surrounding area will be impacted contrary to policies ENV1, DES1 and DES2 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and BS 5837 2012 Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition and Construction.
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