Planning Application Details

The development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would be harmful to the spatial and visual openness of the Green Belt and would conflict with the purposes of the Green Belt. This site additionally provides an important Green Belt function in relation to strategic sites removed from the Green Belt for development. The application does not constitute very special circumstances as required by the National Planning Policy Framework to outweigh the substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt. As such, the proposal is contrary to the NPPF, and Policies STRAT6 and DES9 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.

The site proposed for battery storage provides a valuable transition between the registered parkland and the Culham Science site. The battery storage is large scale, would be industrial in appearance, and would introduce an urban industrial development into an important area of rural countryside. It would result in significant adverse effects on the landscape character and to views including those from public rights of way. The proposed mitigation is ineffective in mitigating this harm and the proposal is contrary to the NPPF, and Policies ENV1, DES1 and DES2 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035, and Policy CUL5 of the Culham Neighbourhood Plan. Further, this proposal, in addition to the development on allocated sites STRAT8 and STRAT9, will create an increased cumulative impact harmful to the landscape character of the area, contrary to Policies ENV1, DES1 and DES2 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.

The proposed development of an industrial nature would encroach into the Nuneham Courtenay Grade I Registered Park and Garden (RPG), a highly significant C18 parkland landscape, which contains several listed buildings and structures. The development will result in significant adverse impacts to the designated heritage asset, and the setting of the RPG. The proposed landscape mitigation fails to respect the character of the RPG and its setting and would result in further harm. The harm to the heritage assets considerably outweighs the benefits of the proposed development and the proposal is therefore contrary to the NPPF and Policies ENV6 and ENV10 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035. Further, this proposal, in addition to the development on allocated sites STRAT8 and STRAT9, will create an increased cumulative impact harmful to the setting of the designated Registered Park and Garden, contrary to Policies ENV6 and ENV10 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035, the NPPF.

The loss of Best and Most Versatile land throughout the lifetime of the proposed development (40 years) has not been justified by compelling evidence in accordance with the written ministerial statement of 15 May 2024 concerning the use of agricultural land, which is reflected in policy DES7 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and the NPPF.

Insufficient information relating to the results of an archaeological trenched evaluation has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed development would protect against harm to archaeological assets. As this information has not been provided, and the County Archaeologist has been unable to assess the impacts of the development, the development is contrary to Policy ENV9 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.

Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed development would be served by an appropriate drainage strategy. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policies INF4, EP4 and STRAT4 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.

Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed development would address Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy ENV3 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035.

There is insufficient and inconsistent information regarding Arboricultural matters and to adequately assess any harmful impact on trees. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy ENV1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan.