Developers poised to build 60 new homes outside Banburyshire village

The land, to the north of Cropredy, between the Claydon Road and the canal, is owned by Brasenose College, Oxford which is represented by Obsidian Strategy which describes itself as a specialist in ‘maximising land value throughout the promotion, planning and development process’.

Obsidian Strategic and Carter Jonas attended a public meeting in Cropredy to give details of the proposed development on the land between the Oxford canal marina and Kyetts Corner.

The proposal is to build up to 60 houses on a ten-acre field. Pre-application discussions are said to be taking place with Cherwell District Council planning officers in the New Year.

Cherwell District Council has failed to meet its housing supply requirement making it easier for developers to appeal successfully against refusals of planning consent.

This application would be on a greenfield site outside the village limits which the village believes should bar it from development.

The developers told the public meeting that the site was close to Kyetts Corner to allow residents to be closer to village facilities. However, the proposed site orientation could change, they said.

They also said ‘affordable housing’ would be determined by Cherwell District Council. Affordable housing can include lower cost or smaller housing, shared ownership and ‘affordable’ rent and social rent.

One resident told the Banbury Guardian: “Villagers were concerned because the affordable houses built in Kyetts Corner have all been sold and are now owned by landlords. They want to know if the same thing would happen in this development.

“We were told stricter conditions could have been stipulated by Cherwell District Council and could be on future developments.”

The meeting was told Brasenose College had no intention at the present to develop its land to the west of the Brasenose pub on Station Road.

The proposals on the Obsidian website say: “We are proposing an appropriate and proportionate extension to the village, with up to 60 new houses to contribute to the local need for new homes, while preserving the rural character of the village.

“Cropredy has a declining population, making it difficult to sustain the vitality of the village, its local facilities and community organisations. Young people who want to stay in Cropredy currently don’t have many options for housing. We are proposing a mix of housing types and sizes that will include be affordable homes for young people and families.

“A new pedestrian footway along Claydon Road would link the new homes to the centre of Cropredy. Road access would be approximately where the field access is now, where the traffic speeds are lower as vehicles enter and leave the village. We would propose an extension of the 30mph limit to cover the site access.”

The developers say new areas of public open space would provide recreation opportunities. This could be a community woodland or wildflower meadow, or a more formal play area. They have asked residents for their views here.

Setting development back from the edge of the canal would protect the wildlife habitats on the waterside. The habitats would be improved with planting and landscaping, ‘to make sure that we provide an attractive setting and a net gain in biodiversity’.