Charlbury Development

Fri 11 Nov 2016, 11:28

Not unlike Rushy Bank then!

Thu 10 Nov 2016, 17:43 (last edited on Thu 10 Nov 2016, 17:50)

The planning officers of the Cotswolds AONB will be visiting the Fiveways site
They are very concerned about the encroachment into the AONB which is dismissed pdismissed in the application
The views of the AONB must be given 'considerable weight' in deciding on planning applications
In addition on our neighbourhood plan we will be prosing that the site is a protected green space which is equivalent to the green belt in planning applications
If refused the application will probably appeal but I think many would consider this to be a test case which should be opposed in all possible ways

Thu 10 Nov 2016, 15:14

Sounds like someone might have a long-term dream of in-filling the whole area between the solar farm and the town.....

Thu 10 Nov 2016, 13:39 (last edited on Thu 10 Nov 2016, 15:39)

Agree but unfortunately of course they are not totally independent. In its assessment of the site and context Vanderbilt's landscape consultant refers to the solar farm and says that it will be "a detractor in both the landscape and visual environment" and that it will "undermine" the landscape character type, the conclusion being that Grammar School Hill is less damaging because the landscape has already been damaged. Doesn't mean that's right, but developers will argue it. The main reason they are wrong of course is that the consent for the solar farm requires that it is removed no later than 26 years after it is built.

Thu 10 Nov 2016, 12:17

Maybe people like the idea of "a good cause", rather than simply commercial profit, and this persuades them to ignore normal planning considerations? (The support that was shown for the solar farm seems consistent with this hypothesis.)

Thu 10 Nov 2016, 11:21

I checked the WODC website in respect of the Fiveways development proposal & there are 31 objections to 1 support comment, which reflects the total opposition expressed on the forum. Whilst 'local' opposition to the Rushy Bank development was in the majority, their was significantly more support than for Fiveways. Can someone explain the difference?