The Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee of West Oxfordshire Council met on Monday 20 April 2026 to determine a single planning application for land south of Forest Road in Charlbury. The committee resolved to approve the application, subject to conditions and the completion of a legal agreement.

Land South of Forest Road, Charlbury

The committee considered a full planning application for the erection of thirty-seven dwellings, including an access road, landscaping, and associated earthworks, on land south of Forest Road in Charlbury. This application was a re-determination following the voluntary quashing of a previous permission due to concerns about the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

Discussion and Decision:

The application was presented by planning officer Mike Cassidy, who outlined the site's location within the Cotswolds National Landscape and its proximity to Roshie Bank ancient woodland and the Charlbury Conservation Area. The proposal includes a mix of one to four-bedroom dwellings, with 57% designated as affordable housing, including seven assisted living bungalows.

Public speakers included representatives from Friends of the West Oxfordshire Cotswolds and Chalbury Town Council, both of whom objected to the proposal. They raised concerns about the development's location in open countryside, its impact on the landscape and conservation area, and inadequate pedestrian access. Laura Bisby, representing the applicant, Harbour Crew, spoke in support, highlighting the scheme's benefits, including the provision of much-needed affordable housing and specialist accommodation, and stated that the application was unchanged from previous considerations.

During the debate, councillors raised questions regarding pedestrian access, the impact on the Cotswolds National Landscape, and the buffer zone around the ancient woodland. A proposal for a site visit was supported by multiple councillors, and it was agreed that this would take place on 4 June 2026, ahead of the next planning committee meeting.

Ultimately, the committee, having considered the officer's report and the various representations, resolved to approve the application. The officer's recommendation for approval was based on the assessment that the significant public benefits, particularly the provision of affordable and specialist housing, outweighed the identified harms, including the minimal indirect deterioration of the adjacent ancient woodland and the impact on the Cotswolds National Landscape. The committee also noted that the council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance in favour of sustainable development.

The approval is subject to conditions, including those relating to construction traffic management, cycle parking, electric vehicle charging points, contamination, drainage, landscaping, biodiversity mitigation, and the removal of permitted development rights for certain plots adjacent to the ancient woodland. A Section 106 legal agreement will also be completed to secure various contributions towards public transport, education, waste management, sports and recreational facilities, public art, and the long-term management of landscaping and ecological features.

Other Business:

The committee also noted a report on applications determined under delegated powers and an appeal decision regarding the Feathers Hotel in Woodstock, where the inspector dismissed the appeal, agreeing with the council's refusal of the original application. Councillor Andrew Beaney expressed thanks to the officers and the chair for their work on the Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee, which was meeting for the final time due to structural changes.