Locals fight to save 400-year-old village house near Banbury from demolition

The house, which was previously owned by the Hollier family, dates back to the 17th century and has played a significant role in the history of the village of Hempton.

The property was a family home until it was left to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in 2006 by the last owner.

Due to the property being subject to an agreement where a tenant had the legal right to remain in the house, the charity were unable to gain possession until August 2021.

Barford St John resident Emily Lloyd-Gale organised the petition. She said: "Over the years, several village residents have contacted the charity to ask them what’s happening with it, the response is either that they didn’t know they owned the property or that they are still deciding what they want to do with it.

"Recently, the charity has put forward planning proposals to demolish the property in favour of building three houses on the site."

Emily’s petition has gained over 150 signatures since she published it last night (Monday December 19), and she plans to send the signature list to local MP Victoria Prentis in the hopes that she will be able to intervene in the demolition.

Emily said: "The house is 400 years old, it deserves the right to be restored, and the council shouldn’t allow this planning permission to go through.

"People from Hempton as well as people from Deddington, Aynho, and all the neighbouring villages have objected to the plans and the proposals, but a lot of the time the district council doesn’t necessarily take them into account.

"People feel that the council may put the plans through entirely on a financial gain basis rather than for the historical value of the property. We all feel that the house should be protected, restored, and then listed so that future families can enjoy it because it’s in a prime village in a lovely location.

"As well as the historical value, there is also the issue of not having enough space. The house itself is on a very tight one-way street, and the extra traffic would cause issues for the village."

The RNIB put forward the planning proposals in June and is waiting for Cherwell District Council to approve the plans so they can sell the property to developers.

Emily added: "There’s nothing wrong with the house it just needs care because it’s been left empty for two decades. It’s such a beautiful building, even in its current state.”

"It’s lovely, and it’s been there so long with so many families enjoying it in the past that demolishing it is like erasing its history from the village.

"The land it’s built on might be worth more than the house, but that doesn’t mean that the house should be demolished."

On the district council planning statement. the RNIB said: "This application is for the demolition of the existing derelict dwelling for the erection of two new build dwellings and the conversion of an existing barn to form a further dwelling –totalling three new dwellings on the site.

“This application proposes two storey ‘cottage’ style dwellings on a similar footprint to the existing dwelling. This is in keeping with the surrounding built environment and respects the context and layout in the area.

A spokesperson for the RNIB said: “RNIB obtained vacant possession in August 2021. And since then we have submitted a pre-planning advice application to the Council and received advice in February 2022.

Based on the advice an outline planning application was submitted in June 2022 and we are still awaiting the decision.”

The charity also said the development would help to increase the district's housing supply and address the shortfall in housing in the area.