Conditions / Refusal Reasons
The proposed development intends to construct a first floor above an existing shallow pitch garage which is situated to the north of Holloway Farm House. The works would facilitate the garage to be converted into 2 one bedroomed flats. The additional first floor would result in a disproportionate addition over and above the size of the original garage. The height, scale and proposed loss in landscaping on the northern boundary would harm the openness of the Green Belt and represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt. No very special circumstances have been proposed. The first floor development and the proposed materials would appear incongruous on a site which is within the open countryside. The dwellings would therefore impact on the openness of the Green Belt and result in inappropriate development in the Green Belt which is contrary to policy STRAT6 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and paragraph 147 of the NPPF.
The proposed dwelling would be situated 17.2 metres to the north of Holloway Farm House. The proposed dwellings first floor windows would overlook the habitable rooms at Holloway Farm House and create a loss in privacy to the occupants. The development is therefore contrary to Policy DES6 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
The development is situated on a prominent and open site within the open countryside. The additional storey would create a building which would be large in scale and height, particularly as the building is situated on the northern boundary of the site. The development would fail to complement the grain of the surrounding area and would create an incongruous feature which would harm the surrounding rural character. The reduction / loss of the mature leylandii which currently screen the site and garage building would further open up the site which would lead to the development becoming more prominent. The development would therefore create an overbearing impact that would be detrimental to the visual amenities of the locality and would lead to a progressive detraction from the rural character and appearance of the area and the surrounding open countryside. The development therefore fails to accord with policies STRAT1, ENV1, DES1 and DES2 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.
The site is accessed via a long private access drive which also serves a farm and runs between the M40 and the A40. The location of the site is inaccessible by sustainable transport modes and future residents would be highly dependent upon private car travel. There are no amenities that can be accessed safely within a reasonable walking distance. A motorway service station is approximately 800 metres from the site with a bus stop at its exit which is approximately 900 metres walking distance. However, the route requires pedestrians to walk in the carriageway of an unlit private road, which is used by HGVs, and then navigate a busy intersection of the local and strategic highway networks, the A40 and M40. Cyclists would face similar issues.
The development therefore fails to provide and encourage sufficient safe and practical accessibility by sustainable transport modes which is contrary to policies TRANS2, TRANS4 and TRANS5 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035, policy 36 of the Oxfordshire Local Transport and Connectivity Plan and paragraphs 104, 105, 110 and 112 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
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