‘Pressure on green belt will increase’ if schemes aren’t approved, warns developer

Oakleaf Real Estate Limited has applied to Vale of White Horse District Council to demolish a house in Cumnor Hill on the outskirts of Oxford and replace it with five homes.
The new homes would consist of three four-bed and two five-bed properties.
In the scheme’s planning statement, the developer compares it with a similar scheme for five homes in Thackeray Close approved in 2014.
READ MORE: ANPR cameras proposal to enforce Oxfordshire vehicle ban
Cumnor Hill homes CGI (Image: Vale of White Horse District Council) The statement added: “If sites of this nature are not considered appropriate for meeting growing housing needs, the pressure on outlying green belt will increase.
“The submitted scheme presents a balanced approach to the development of the site, through the provision of good quality residential accommodation within an established and sustainable location.
“The proposal presents a carefully designed and considered scheme that will assist the local authority’s commitment to providing additional residential accommodation.
“The proposal responds to the prevailing qualities and opportunities afforded by the development plot, as well as respecting the overall character of the area with considered height, mass and materiality.
“Soft landscaping is retained and integrated into the proposal so as to clearly define and improve the setting of build fabric on plot.
“The scheme will provide good quality internal accommodation for the future occupants.
“The design of the houses has been carefully developed to complement the site’s context, both in scale and through the use of appropriate materials.”
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/
As a digital subscriber you will get:
- Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website
- Advert-light access
- Reader rewards
- Full access to our app
About the author
Toby is a senior reporter who has a particular interest in covering planning and local government.
He joined in September 2024 having been a reporter at the Hampshire Chronicle for three years.
Toby studied at the University of Brighton and can be found on X through the handle @JournoToby