Mullin Automotive Park, Enstone

Tue 4 Apr 2023, 14:26 (last edited on Tue 4 Apr 2023, 14:29)

I see that approval has been given to this new hotel, holiday lodges and private members club.

https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/we-need-it-like-a-hole-in-the-head-controversial-billionaires-club-to-go-ahead-at-enstone-despite-huge-local-opposition-4091879

I do find it very strange that everyone kicks off against Diddly Squat and Clarkson but makes no noise against this. Oh well. 

Thu 16 Mar 2023, 12:54

Pleased that the Banbury Guardian has covered this.

Most of the most recent comments on the planning application are from supporters -- mostly living in very distant towns and some also living overseas. 

Most of the supporters seem to think that Enstone Airport is currently an eyesore and the surrounding countryside without merit -- neither of which is true, although it is true that the site  falls just outside the AONB and is thus not subject to the same planning controls as Diddly Squat Farm.

Soho and/or Mullin have obviously been very busy mobilising their supporters. The timetable for registering objections to the revised, revised plans closed yesterday, and we can now only wait to see what happens.

Thu 16 Mar 2023, 07:41 (last edited on Thu 16 Mar 2023, 07:42)

Well, this is disconcerting. My posts on here has now been quoted in the Banbury Guardian

https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/people/doubling-motor-museum-size-would-make-it-a-gated-holiday-village-for-the-super-rich-and-soho-farmhouse-furious-neighbours-fear-environmental-chaos-4064418

I see that the Democrat philanthropist billionaire Ron Burkle has acquired the option to purchase the Mullin site. What difference does that make I hear you ask? Ron Burkle also owns 60% of Soho House group. Is this just a roundabout way of Soho suddenly doubling in size with the acquisition of the Mullin? So, there are not going to be many complaints from Soho about the noise I suppose, but this also explains why the most striking element of this museum is all of the holiday homes, “villas”, “farmsteads”, “lake houses”, “apartments” and “residences” (with many of them gated) on the site with very little comment on the museum. The initial planning permission was given for a car museum. What Oxfordshire is gaining is a new gated holiday home community for the super-rich with their own race-track.

Another said: “It was never going to be just a museum, it really is a members club/hotel for wealthy car owners. Everything they have said so far is all smoke and mirrors. The sound of racing cars for ten hours a day will really irritate their neighbours at Soho and the Beckham's estate. No wonder they want to sell up and move away... It is kind of ironic really.”

Sun 5 Feb 2023, 03:00

"Money doesn't talk, it swears."

Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize winner.

Sat 4 Feb 2023, 19:20

Just going through the design and access statement, I see that the Democrat philanthropist billionaire Ron Burkle has acquired the option to purchase the Mullin site. What difference does that make I hear you ask? Ron Burkle also owns 60% of Soho House group. Is this just a roundabout way of Soho suddenly doubling in size with the acquisition of the Mullin? So, there are not going to be many complaints from Soho about the noise I suppose, but this also explains why the most striking element of this museum is all of the holiday homes, “villas”, “farmsteads”, “lake houses”, “apartments” and “residences” (with many of them gated) on the site with very little comment on the museum. The initial planning permission was given for a car museum. What Oxfordshire is gaining is a new gated holiday home community for the super-rich with their own race-track.

Sat 4 Feb 2023, 09:53

How can this be allowed to proceed at all? From an environmental perspective, this would be a disaster due to the large amounts of carbon released when sports cars get to 'exercise'. Not to mention the destruction of biodiversity in the construction process and the extra traffic on already ailing infrastructure. The potholes on the B4437 have not been fixed for at least 6 months. I think it would be more palatable if Clarkson was allowed to build his restaurant and car park. Surely, this is a greener endeavour and an advertisement to sustainable living and farming than a rich kid club that couldn't give a hoot about the environment they destroy in the process of satisfying their luxurious lifestyles. 

Sat 4 Feb 2023, 08:38

Indeed. It was never going to be just a museum, it really is a members club/hotel for wealthy car owners. Everything they have said so far is all smoke and mirrors. On the plus side the anticipated traffic increase in Charlbury is unlikely to appear. On the downside, the sound of racing cars for ten hours a day will really irritate their neighbours at Soho and the Beckham's estate. No wonder they want to sell up and move away to the country. It is kind of ironic really.  

Fri 3 Feb 2023, 15:20

When compared with the original application, it should be noted that there have been significant changes. The project is now much more of an extension of Soho Farmhouse, with the "lodges" doubled in number. 

The car museum associated with the American philanthropist Peter Mullin is diminished in size (some of his collection is being sold in his twilight years). The link to the Bentley car franchise seems to have disappeared.

There is now a members' club planned for the 5th floor of the crescent shaped building and a number of hotel bedrooms.  It appears to be more of a club for the wealthy and their toys - with the "car exercise area" available for use for up to 10 hours per day.

I imagine that visitor numbers will be lower if the museum has reduced appeal, however very few petrolheads will arrive by public transport. 

The original proposals already have planning consent, so it seems likely that something will go ahead. The applicant's agent is Jon Westerman who used to head up WODC Planning.

Sat 28 Jan 2023, 23:00

If this project is going to increase traffic at 5-Ways, The Slade & Enstone crossroads to the extent Mullins mentions, Charlbury TC ought to get Mullins to pay for the previously discussed traffic calming upgrades at these sites.

Tue 24 Jan 2023, 16:59 (last edited on Tue 24 Jan 2023, 17:00)

This looks great for car enthusiasts, looking forward to it opening.

Tue 24 Jan 2023, 15:13 (last edited on Tue 24 Jan 2023, 15:24)

Minibuses are able to cross the bridge. Or buses can be provided from what GWR calls "Charlbury Village" = 9 Acres, or also take the longer route round, as GWR also sometimes does.

Incidentally, the expected increase in traffic approaching the Mullin Project from direction of Charlbury is 64 going to the site and 64 returning to the site per session at peak weekends. There are three sessions per day. See here: https://www.themullinproject.co.uk/transport So 384 extra journeys. This is for visitors only. Construction traffic is presumably on top of that. 

Tue 24 Jan 2023, 15:09

I haven't read the Mullin documents yet, but I would suggest the reason there is no proposal to provide shuttle buses to Charlbury Station is that most such buses have a laden weight of over than 7.5t and would be banned from crossing the river bridge.

Tue 24 Jan 2023, 14:36 (last edited on Tue 24 Jan 2023, 14:41)

The full planning application for the Mullin Automotive Park at Enstone Airfield  is now online, with the cut-off date for comments 8th February. It's planning number is: 22/03415/FUL

And see publicaccess.westoxon.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=RMKKA4RK0GA00

I do hope the Charlbury Town Council has been consulted and are on top of this issue. After all, the comment from a Senior Environmental Health Officer includes the following statement "I would request the applicant carry out an AQA [Air Quality Assessment] to determine the impact of the development on the local area, particularly on the Chipping Norton ... and also other local towns such as Woodstock and Charlbury." 

The Officer was commenting as the expected that the proposed traffic increase is more than 500 trips both on weekdays and weekends -- the B4022 (including The Slade) will see a very large increase in traffic. 

People living on The Slade and near the Banbury Road (especially near the Enstone Crossroads and also near 5 ways) might want to look particularly closely at the plans. 

Some of the statements about bus and train access to the site via buses and trains through Charlbury seem to me to be false. The travel plan document is called Residential Travel Plan (November 2022), and other travel details are also available elsewhere on Mullin's own website. There seems to be a proposal to provide shuttle buses from Oxford Parkway Station, but not from Charlbury Station.

I see no evidence that Charlbury TC has been consulted about any of this. But I do hope that I am wrong about that. 

Mon 2 Jan 2023, 12:22

Plans for the Mullin Automotive Park at Enstone Airfield have been updated. I'm sorry Charlbury was not informed of the various Open Days to look in more details at the revised plans.

Details are of The Mullin Project are online. I thought people would be particularly interested in the FAQs and also the Transport tabs: https://www.themullinproject.co.uk/

As far as I can see the revised planning application has yet to be submitted. If somebody knows better, perhaps they could submit the details here.