Cherwell Council considers Fritwell development

Published by

Sam Pither

Cherwell District Council are currently considering plans to build 40 homes and a pub on a site in the village of Fritwell.

According to the Cherwell Local Plan, Fritwell is a category “A” village, meaning minor development, infilling and conversions are permitted within built-up limits.

With this in mind, one councillor, Eddie Reeves, has recommended councillors visit the site to consider the “position on the ground” themselves before making their decisions.

As reported by Oxford Mail, however, a separate report suggests committee members could make their own informal visits to view the site.

It says: “In relation to informing an assessment of the impact of the proposal in terms of its potential visual impact, or its potential impact on the setting of the surrounding area, it is the view of officers that entry to the site would not provide any additional benefit given the level of existing public viewpoints.

“The recommendation of officers is that a formal committee site visit is not necessary as it would have limited value in this instance.”

The recommendation comes following a report by a Council Conservation Officer which outlines potential issues with the site.

The report states: “The proposed layout shows limited gaps between the buildings, with buildings and driveways taking up a significant portion of the frontage of the site.

“This alongside the arrangement of garages and houses would result in a rather suburban and cramped layout compared to the more varied and spacious arrangement of buildings that currently exists.

“It would be harmful to the loose-knit settlement pattern in this area and would also detrimentally impact on the rural character and appearance of this key entrance to the village, and significantly reduce any views out to the open countryside surrounding the village.

“If it was considered that this proposal is appropriate from a planning perspective, then considerable redesign of the layout for the site would need to be carried out so that it would fit in better with the character of the host village and adjacent designated heritage asset.

“There may be some public benefit from more housing in the village, but this particular site and proposal will cause damage to the significance of the adjacent designated heritage asset by irrevocably removing the rural setting of the conservation area.

“The public benefit will not outweigh the damage this proposal will have on the setting of the conservation area.”

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.