The Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee of West Oxfordshire Council met on Monday 20 April 2026 to determine a planning application for land south of Forest Road in Charlbury. The committee resolved to approve the application, subject to a legal agreement and conditions, after extensive debate and a decision to conduct a site visit. The meeting also noted appeal decisions and applications determined under delegated powers.

Land South of Forest Road, Charlbury

The committee considered a full planning application for the erection of 37 dwellings, including access roads and landscaping, on land south of Forest Road in Charlbury. This application was brought back for determination following the voluntary quashing of a previous permission due to concerns about the Public Sector Equality Duty.

The planning officer, Mike Cassidy, presented the application, highlighting that no material changes had been made to the scheme since its previous consideration. He noted that an updated ecology response confirmed the validity of previous surveys and that the council's biodiversity officer remained satisfied, subject to conditions. The officer also informed the committee of a revised wording for an informative regarding means of enclosure, emphasizing the need for designs that prevent encroachment into buffer areas protecting ancient woodland.

During the debate, significant attention was given to the site's location in open countryside, its impact on the Cotswolds National Landscape, and the adequacy of pedestrian access to Charlbury town centre and the railway station. Objectors, including the Friends of the West Oxfordshire Cotswolds and Charlbury Town Council, raised concerns about the development's conflict with local and neighbourhood plan policies, its impact on the ancient woodland, and highway safety. The agent, Laura Bisbee, spoke in support of the application, emphasizing the significant provision of affordable housing and the scheme's compliance with planning policy.

A key point of discussion was the accessibility of the pedestrian route to Charlbury station, particularly for users with mobility impairments. Oxfordshire County Council, as the highway authority, confirmed that the existing route was considered acceptable, despite a 30-metre stretch not meeting full footway width standards. The committee also debated whether the development constituted major development within the Cotswolds National Landscape, with officers concluding it did not, while the Cotswolds National Landscape Board disagreed.

Ultimately, the committee resolved to approve the application, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement and a series of conditions. These conditions cover aspects such as materials, travel plans, construction traffic management, biodiversity mitigation, landscaping, and the removal of permitted development rights in sensitive areas. The decision to approve was made after weighing the significant public benefits, particularly the provision of much-needed affordable and specialist housing, against the identified harms to the landscape and ancient woodland. The committee also agreed to undertake a site visit before making a final determination on a future date, acknowledging the complexity and long history of the application.

Appeal Decisions

The committee noted the appeal decision regarding the Feathers Hotel, Market Street, Woodstock. The inspector dismissed the appeal, agreeing with the council's decision to refuse the application, concluding that the benefits of the scheme did not outweigh the harm.

Applications Determined under Delegated Powers

The committee noted the report detailing applications that had been determined under delegated powers since the previous meeting.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the planning team and officers for their work on the Uplands area planning matters.