Conditions / Refusal Reasons
The proposed development, by reason of its size, layout and position, would be in much closer proximity to the boundary with the recreation ground than the dwellings belonging to the adjoining residential development at Oxford Down. The proposal would therefore remove the visual separation and softening provided by the application site and result in encroachment of built form towards the public open space. The narrowness of the site restricts the available space to be able to successfully retain hedges close to proposed built form and to provide sufficient space for significant landscaping that would be able to soften the proposed dwellings to the same degree as the current foliage achieves for the adjoining development. As such, the proposal would be harmful to the landscape setting and character and appearance of this part of the settlement. This would conflict with the aims and objectives of Policies DES1, DES2 and ENV1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and Policies CH C1 and CH H1 of the Chinnor Neighbourhood Plan and advice contained within Section 5 of the Joint Design Guide 2022.
The proposed semi-detached houses at Plots 2 & 3, by reason of their size, layout and position, would be located only 5.5 metres to the south-west of the rear garden boundaries of No's 41 & 43 Oxford Down. It is unlikely that the boundary hedge would be retained by the development process in a form that would provide significant softening of the dwellings and, in any event, planting should not be relied upon to provide screening in perpetuity. The proposal would impinge upon the main aspect of the adjoining rear gardens, resulting in a significant loss of daylight, sunlight and outlook, which would detract from the residential amenity of the adjoining occupiers. As such, the proposal would be contrary to the aims and objectives of Policy DES6 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and Policy CH H1 of the Chinnor Neighbourhood Plan.
Insufficient details have been provided to demonstrate that the proposed layout would be able to accommodate emergency vehicles access, visitor spaces and garage dimensions to the adopted standards, without requiring buildings to be repositioned. In the absence of this, there is a risk that the proposed development would result in indiscriminate/obstructive parking occurring within the vicinity which would be likely to increase the risk to highway and pedestrian safety. As such, the proposal would conflict with the aims and objectives of Policy TRANS5 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
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