Planning Application Details

The proposed change of use of the property from a retail use to a residential dwelling would result in the loss of commercial space falling within Class E of the Use Classes Order. As the site falls wholly within the Primary Shopping Area defined under the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035,the application submission is required to demonstrate that the unit has been proactively and appropriately marketed for at least 12 months and that there is no longer a realistic prospect of the unit being used for E Class uses in the foreseeable future. In the absence of any robust marketing information and the absence of any information demonstrating that alternative commercial uses with Class E are not viable, the proposal is in fundamental conflict with Policy TC5 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 which seeks to protect the vitality and viability of the town centre.