An appeal over 300 homes at Grove has been approved on appeal.
David Wilson Homes had applied to build the homes on land east of Grove, creating a 20-minute neighbourhood that was to be called Tulwick Park, but was refused by Vale of White Horse District Council in July 2022.
Reasons given included impact on the countryside and landscape and that additional housing was unnecessary in that location.
The applicant had questioned the council’s ability to show it had a five-year housing land supply. However, the authority showed it had a supply of 6.29 years.
Even if it had not, planning inspector Jonathan Bore stated that even if the council not been able to demonstrate a five-year land supply, the harm to the countryside and character of the landscape from the proposals would significantly outweigh the benefits of the additional housing.
Council leader Cllr Bethia Thomas said: “We’re delighted by the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to dismiss this appeal. It vindicates our approach and confirms to other developers out there that we do indeed have a healthy five-year land supply position.
“This is a positive example of how our planning tools, such as our Local Plan and Landscape Character Assessment, work together to stop unwanted development in our district and look at housing that the Vale needs rather than what developers want.
“I would like to thank our officers and all those who sent in comments and attended the public inquiry to make it clear to the Inspector what the community felt about this proposal.”
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