Conditions / Refusal Reasons
The change of use of the land for open storage (Class B8) as proposed within the application submission would be contrary to the requirements of the Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan, which allocates the site for the provision of 20 dwellings. There are no contingency sites within the Neighbourhood Plan area to provide this housing, and as such the development would undermine the council's spatial strategy for the provision of new housing. The proposal is contrary to Policies H1, and HS5 of the Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan, and Policies STRAT1, STRAT 4 and H1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
The site lies in a visually prominent location on the edge of the village and is within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The use of the land for open storage would fail to conserve the landscape qualities and natural beauty of the AONB and would fail to respect the settlement pattern of the village. As such the proposal is contrary to Policies E1 and D1 of the Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan, and Policies STRAT1, DES1, DES2, and ENV1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
The site lies immediately opposite and in close proximity to an existing residential area. The use of the site for open storage would result in visual intrusion and the likelihood of significant levels of commercial activity on the land that is incompatible with the quiet residential surroundings and would be detrimental to the amenity of the neighbouring residential occupiers. As such the proposal is contrary to Policies DES6 and ENV12 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
A Transport Statement has not been submitted with the application. As such the application is not accompanied by sufficient information in order to demonstrate how the proposed storage use would operate particularly in terms of the nature and amount of equipment and materials to be stored, the type and size of vehicles that will be required to visit the site and the associated trip generation. As such the proposal has failed to demonstrate an acceptable impact on the local highway network and that it would not be prejudicial to highway safety. As such the proposal is contrary to Policies T1 and EM1 of the Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan, and Policies TRANS4, TRANS5 and TRANS7 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
The site lies in an elevated position close to Greenmore ponds, which are ecologically sensitive and susceptible to pollution. The proposed use of the site has not demonstrated that it would allow for the protection of the adjacent ponds from further pollution and as such the proposal is contrary to Policies ENV12 and EP4 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
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