Huscote Farm Planning Appeal To Be Re-Heard
The proposal to industrialise the ancient farmland at Huscote Farm was refused by Cherwell District Council on fifteen grounds. Significant concerns and objections were raised from statutory consultees and neighbouring councils as well as groups such as CPRE Oxon, Banbury Civic Society and BBOWT. There were hundreds of public objections too. Following a ten day hearing in February 2025, a Planning Inspector considered an appeal by the applicants, this was dismissed by the Inspector after hearing extensive evidence from the council about the significant harm that would be caused to the area.
The applicant has suggested that the Planning Inspector was wrong to dismiss their appeal and specifically that the impact on the roads for local residents was no reason for the proposal to be refused, despite hundreds of objections by local road users who say otherwise!
A high court judge has now quashed the appeal decision on a technicality that relates to the Inspectors reference to government policy on highways matters. This means that the appeal must be considered again with the date for a new hearing awaited. It is important to understand that the role of the high court judge here was to consider the legalities and application of planning law, and not to consider the application nor the council’s decision to refuse permission. The high court ruling means that all of the reasons that the council refused planning permission initially must now be considered again at a new hearing.
The applicants claim that the warehousing is needed to create local jobs, however nearby warehousing along the A361 along with many others across the district have stood empty for years with nearby warehouses unable to fill job vacancies and many employees commuting from other areas, suggesting more warehousing would not provide jobs that local people are looking for. Developing the area would not only have a hugely detrimental impact on our landscape and local heritage, the road network around the M40 roundabout and Banbury is already insufficient for the volume of traffic. Adding more traffic to these roads without improvements to the infrastructure will just add more misery to those trying to move about our town, and this matters
Local democracy allows for a Local Plan, a blueprint for the local authority which ensures that the needs of the community can be met both now and for the future, the ancient farmland is not allocated for development and was specifically rejected from the current Local Plan, yet the applicant has spent a significant amount of money trying to override this local decision. To continuously try to override the local decision shows contempt for local democracy and the Banbury people. This is not just something happening at Huscote Farm, it is happening all over the district and people are urged to write to their MPs, because the impact of these ill-conceived proposals on local people should matter, communities should be empowered not marginalised in this way. Even if you think that your MP cannot help, It is vital that you write, so that MPs can understand how our communities feel about being so insignificant. You can find your local MP email address here: https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons