Client: Kler Group

Local Authority Area: South Oxfordshire District Council

Project Type: Residential

Work Instructed: Site appraisal, planning strategy, pre-application enquiry, public consultation, local and neighbourhood plan representations, outline planning application, public inquiry appeal and expert witness.

• Situated in an edge of settlement, open countryside location Cerda prepared a planning strategy based upon a housing land supply shortfall and emerging Neighbourhood Plan.
• Extensive Parish Council, engagement was undertaken to seek to bring forward a community led primary school, hall and shop enabled by residential development.
• A stakeholder agreement could not, ultimately, be achieved and the strategy reverted to bringing forward housing in isolation.
• The initial outline planning application was refused but on appeal, following a public inquiry with Cerda acting as expert planning witness, the appeal was allowed and permission granted
• Subsequently, the Parish Council amended its Neighbourhood Plan to include the site as a housing allocation.
• Permission was secured for 36 dwellings.