Agenda and draft minutes
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Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence from members of the Sub-Committee. The quorum for the Sub-Committee is 3 members. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Faulker, Councillor Godfrey, Councillor Cosier and Councillor Andrew Lyon. Councillor Jack Treloar substituted for Councillor Faulkner. Councillor David Melvin substituted for Councillor Godfrey Councillor Dan Levy substitutes for Councillor Steve Cosier
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of interest from members of the Sub-Committee on any items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Minutes of the Previous meeting This agenda has been published before the meeting of 8 June 2026. The minutes of 8 June 2026 and 15 June 2026 will be considered at the meeting of 6 July 2026. Additional documents: Minutes: The agenda was published before the meeting of 8 June 2026. The minutes of the meetings for 8 June 2026 and 15 June 2026 would be considered at the next meeting on Monday 6 July 2026.
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Applications for Development Purpose: To consider applications for development, details of which are set out in the attached report.
Recommendation: That the application be determined with the recommendations of the Head of Planning.
Additional documents:
Minutes: 23/03071/FUL Land South of Forest Road, Charlbury. Mike Cassidy, Principal Planner, presented the full planning application for the erection of thirty-seven dwellings including an access road, landscaping and associated works.
The Principal Planner gave an overview of the planning history of the site and the application, which was originally reported to the Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee on 28 May 2025 and was deferred to the meeting of 21 July 2025. The Sub-Committee resolved to approve the application on 21 July 2025 in line with officer recommendations subject to an additional informative. The planning permission was issued on 29 January 2026. During the judicial review period, the Council received a pre-action protocol letter from solicitors acting on behalf of a third party which raised a number of matters. After taking legal advice, the Council voluntarily agreed to consent to the quashing of the planning permission in order to ensure that the Public Sector Equality Duty was fully and explicitly considered. The effect of that quashing is that the previous permission is treated as though it had not been granted, and the application is therefore before members once again for determination on a fresh basis. The application was subsequently reported to the sub-committee on the 20th of April 2026, where members resolved to defer the application pending a site visit. That site visit took place on the 4th of June 2026, and the application is before members again for determination.
The Principal Planner brought members attention to the Additional Representations Report, which included both support and objection comments on the application. Since publication, 29 additional objections have been received, which do not raise any new issues. Friends of West Oxfordshire Cotswolds have also submitted further comments maintaining their objection. They questioned the validity of some of the public support submissions, suggesting some may be anonymous or solicited by a paid campaigner; however, it was confirmed that all support comments included names and addresses. They also reiterated concerns about compliance with neighbourhood and local plans, raised by their solicitor’s, Leighday, in the letter summarised in the Additional Representations report, which have already been addressed in the committee report and introduced no new planning considerations.
A letter has also been received from the applicant’s solicitors, Gowling WLG, submitted in response to the objections raised by Leighday solicitors. It argues that there were no errors in the officer’s report and that the issues raised related to planning judgement. The letter disputed concerns about Great Western Railway representations, the public sector equality duty, and the interpretation of local plan policies H2 and OS2. It concluded that the committee could rely on the officer report and grant planning permission. Overall, there were now 211 objections and 223 supporting representations.
The Principal Planner gave an overview of the application and highlighted the following points:
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Applications Determined under Delegated Powers Purpose: To inform the Sub-Committee of applications determined under delegated powers.
Recommendation: 1. There are no reports to consider. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no delegated powers reports to note.
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Appeal Decisions Purpose: To inform the Sub-Committee of any appeal decisions.
Recommendation: 1. There are no reports to consider.
Additional documents: Minutes: There were no appeal decisions report to note. The Chair reminded Members of the next site visit on 2 July 2026 at 9.30am for the application - 25/01897/OUT Land West of Combe Road
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