'We need it like a hole in the head' - Controversial 'billionaires' club' to go ahead at Enstone despite huge local opposition

West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) has given full planning consent to the Mullin Automotive Museum plan which local residents have campaigned to prevent.

Billionaire Ron Burkle, owner of Soho Farmhouse, recently bought the enterprise from US billionaire Peter Mullin.

Ledwell resident Clive Hill has opposed the development saying it goes against WODC’s local plan, making a mockery and waste of the £1m it cost to agree.

He is furious those against the plan were allowed only three minutes, jointly, to speak against it at the meeting last Monday, March 27. He believed speakers would be allowed five minutes each to set out their reasons.

“The emails I received shift from having five minutes and then being told I would have less than three minutes. I was not asked at the meeting whether I was speaking for or against the application so it was obviously pre-determined. The general public objection comments were definitely restricted by the unreasonable time limit,” he said.

"The Planning Officer, came across as acting like and agent for the Mullin team, spent so long promoting the scheme and ignoring the serious National and Local Policy breaches it seems rather biased to say the least. Anyone wishing to explain an alternative point of view was shut down and left with only 60 seconds for their arguments.

"It was approved with some very minor concessions. The whole process was a joke. Parish Councils were able to speak for up to five minutes each but participation of the public was limited to three minutes in total across all who wanted to speak. A good example of West Oxfordshire District Council democracy in practice. Maybe they did not wish to hear dissenting voices.

“I had one minute to state my case. Ridiculous. Maybe the chair already knew it was pointless anyone objecting because it was going to be approved regardless.

“It appears WODC has no regard whatsoever for the environment. It says one thing and does another. It seems big money speaks louder than concerns for the environment. WODC refused permission for a Solar Farm on the same site that would have helped reduce pollution and now WODC approves a temple to the motor car – the invention that has caused most environmental damage on the planet with those coming to worship arriving cars further damaging the planet,” said Mr Hill.

“I trust WODC will be more democratic when setting the conditions under which this application has been approved. We certainly do not wish to see the council pushing through weak conditions to suit the developer. The controls need to properly protect the local environment from noise, light and air pollution.”

A spokesman for WODC said: “Members of the public are permitted to speak for five minutes during Development Control meetings at the discretion of the chair. If more than one representative wishes to speak on a subject and takes the same view (for example, two people speaking against a matter which they both object to) then the five minutes speaking time is shared amongst the participants.

"The time restriction is in place to ensure as many participants can air their views in the amount of time available. On this specific meeting date mentioned, no members of the public expressed concerns to the chair or other officers regarding any aspect of an alleged ‘restriction’ on speaking time.

“The Mullin proposal involves building 56 millionaires’ holiday homes in open countryside which is against local and national policy because there is no 'essential operational need' for them. Plus the museum is now a very much reduced part of the scheme. The emphasis is now on a members club, a hotel with 40 bedrooms and the 56 millionaires holiday homes. 200 - 300 members will be on site every day and I understand members can bring along up to three guests each.

“This is much less a museum and much more another Soho Farmhouse project with the same main investor, Mr Burkle. We need that like a hole in the head.

“The extra volume of traffic we have now has ruined rural Oxfordshire and our rural past times. This Mullin project will make it even worse.”

Mullin has said the public museum, containing world-class exhibits in a ‘carefully curated and beautiful new set of buildings’, will be enhanced by an addition of an exhibition space, increasing value to visitors.

"The land occupied by the holiday homes has reduced by 28 per cent, although it should be noted the number of homes would increase, these would mostly be contained within the main museum building.

“The use of the site and track remains unchanged from the approved scheme, as does the museum height. To prevent light disturbance at night, the top floor will contain automated blinds. Increased traffic will be minimised by creating a robust travel plan, which has sustainable commuting options and a shuttle bus service.

“Importantly, our goal is to create substantial value for the local community, especially those underprivileged, by providing jobs through apprenticeships and training schemes. This is of great importance to us, and we truly believe in the fundamental benefits our proposals can bring.”

Mr Hill said: “This is not a project for the masses - it will be another rich man's club established against local wishes. There may be some local people who get jobs but these will not be the ones to have membership or drive their cars around the track.

“We need legally binding conditions that can be monitored. So far it is not clear what those will be. We certainly want strict control of noise and speed when people use the track. We will also want conditions applied to light pollution as well as restrictions on traffic routes through villages which are already struggling from Soho Farmhouse rat run traffic.”