The Bull Hotel

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 16:45

OK, I know little of planning, but there are very clear grounds in local planning policy for objecting to this. West Oxfordshire has guidance online (http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/have-your-say-links/planning-consultations/). The list of 'material planning considerations' includes: 'conservation of buildings' and 'character of the area'. Perhaps the fact that an inn has been here for centuries has some relevance to the former? As for the latter, West Oxon also has Local Plan documents online, outlining general planning policies. In the section on Town Centres & Shopping, it explicity states:

7.4 The main aim is to protect and improve the town centres of West Oxfordshire, in terms of their appearance and the range of services they offer. Town centres are important for a number of reasons:
• they underpin the economic well-being of their town,
• they are the most accessible locations by all means of transport,
• they act as the cultural and social focus for the town and surrounding area.

and

7.9 The strategy of this Plan for town centres and shopping will:
• Seek to retain village shops (as well as other community facilities such as pubs) by resisting their loss through changes of use.

Anyone objecting should reference these specific points in West Oxfordshire planning policy. The application goes to great lengths to show how it meets local planning policy - but carefully avoids these points.

(On the food point: a couple of years ago the Bull was always my first choice locally, but since then - although good enough sometimes - it seems to have been variable. I don't want a lottery when I go out for a meal, I want to know I'm going to be pleased. Variable quality just loses people's trust. I don't doubt John and Mark have had some nice meals there - me too. I've also had some very disappointing ones, alas.)

But perhaps if the owners had opened this discussion up to the community to start with, and admitted they need help, the whole 'use it or lose it' argument would have been easier to run with; maybe the community could have rallied to the cause. Instead people have come across a surprise planning application, only offering a one-way route to sleepyville. It's easy to see why people are upset, even if they haven't been going there recently.