Planning Application Details

The application site does not form a small gap in an otherwise built-up frontage and therefore the proposed residential development would extend the built form of the settlement into the adjoining countryside. As such the principle of development would be contrary to Policies H1, H16 and STRAT1 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and Policy P5 of the Watlington Neighbourhood Development Plan.

The proposed development would have the effect of extending development northwards into undeveloped countryside, thereby resulting in harm to the landscape setting of Christmas Common within this part of the Chilterns National Landscape. The impact would be exacerbated by the proposed design of the dwellings, where their form, materials and uniform contemporary appearance would be out of keeping with the surrounding built form and would not make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. As such, the proposal would conflict with Policies ENV1, DES1 and DES2 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and Policies P1 and P3 of the Watlington Neighbourhood Development Plan and advice contained within Section 5 of the Joint Design Guide 2022.

The proposed dwellings, through their scale, design and materials, would have an urbanising impact, which would fail to conserve the significance of the Grade II listed Fox and Hounds Public House and its setting. The proposed development would result in a low level of harm to the significance of the grade II listed building. There is insufficiently robust evidence that a deficiency of car parking is directly harming the viability of the pub to the extent that its future conservation and optimum viable use as a pub is demonstrably undermined. As such, there would be insufficient public benefits to outweigh the identified harm and the proposal would be contrary to Policies ENV6 and ENV7 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and Policy P1 of the Watlington Neighbourhood Development Plan and advice contained within Chapter 16 of the NPPF.

The application fails to properly assess the demand for the proposed car park through detailed surveys of existing demand or consideration of floor area and covers at the public house and contains no assessment of on-street parking with regard to highway safety, to provide justification for this element of the proposal. The increased availability of parking would encourage a significant increase in trips to the site by car, thereby failing to promote travel by sustainable modes of transport. As such, it would be contrary to Policy TRANS2 of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 and Policies 1 and 33 of the Oxfordshire County Council Local Transport and Connectivity Plan.

The inclusion of a public car park and picnic area in the proposed development, due to its size, location and the lack of surveillance would encourage antisocial behaviour, and vehicles parked within the car park would be vulnerable to crime. In addition, legitimate access would be created for an offender to gain entry to the proposed dwellings via vulnerable side/rear garden boundaries, where there is also no surveillance. As such, the proposal would conflict with Policy DES1 criterion xviii) and advice contained within paragraphs 96(b) and 135(f) of the NPPF and Secured by Design - Homes 2024.