Plans to build 104 homes outside Chipping Norton reccomended for approval - despite receiving 119 objections

The outline planning application for up to 104 homes on land east of Burford Road and south of Charlbury Road was submitted by the developer Gleeson Land in April 2024.

The decision will be made at West Oxfordshire District Council’s planning meeting next Monday (March 17) with the scheme being recommended for conditional approval.

Residents objected to the plans for a number of reasons, including concerns for wildlife, the increase in traffic, the risk of flooding, loss of green space, and existing infrastructure not coping with the new development.

Both Chipping Norton Town Council and Enstone Parish Council also objected to the scheme.

In a response, Chipping Norton Town Council noted that while it was supportive of building “the right housing in the right place for Chipping Norton”, it believed that housing need could be met from land already allocated to housing in the strategic plan.

It added that there needs to be better provision for cyclists and pedestrians into Chipping Norton, and that it would like to preserve the vista on the edge of the town which leads to open natural landscapes.

Enstone Parish Council raised concerns about how traffic from the development could impact the A44, and that Lidstone Road was getting “more and more dangerous” due to the increase in housing on Burford Road and businesses in Chadlington and Kingham.

Oxfordshire County Council’s highways team also objected to the scheme over concerns that the development “is likely to be heavily reliant on the use of private car”, that the proposed access to the site was inadequate, and that the proposed alterations to the Burford Road and Charlbury Road junction were also inadequate.

Only one member of the public submitted a supporting comment which said more homes were needed.

The planning statement for the development said: “Chipping Norton offers a comprehensive range of facilities and services, catering to the needs of its residents.

“The proposed amount, layout and mix of housing will deliver both market and affordable market housing, for which there is a known demand in the town and which will make a worthwhile contribution toward the ever growing social housing requirement of this area and the district.

“A mix of house types and sizes is proposed to provide for starter homes and families.”

Within the planned development, 40 per cent of the homes will be affordable.

The site is immediately left of the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.