A planning application for the erection of 37 dwellings on land south of Forest Road Charlbury is set to be heard next Monday by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC).
The application, brought forward by Harper Crewe Ltd with Savills acting as an agent, dates back to May 2025, where it was initially reported, then deferred until July of that year, the Sub-Committee resolved to approve the application subject to recommendations , and planning permission was issued in January 2026.
During the review period however, the Council received a letter from solicitors acting on behalf of a third party, containing potential grounds of legal challenges to the granting of permission.
Upon the undertaking of specialist legal advice, the Council agreed to consent to the quashing of the permission, on the basis of having failed to consider Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. The High Court then formally quashed the permission by consent order.
Now, after consultation with Oxford County Council, who confirmed after consideration that no new mitigations need to be made in respect of S149, alongside independent reviews, the application is being brought forward anew.
Consultation
The consultations for the application prove somewhat problematic for the potential development, as both the Cotswolds National Landscape Board and the Charlbury Conservation Area Advisory Committee object to the proposal, the former on the grounds that the Council cannot demonstrate a five-year land supply, and the latter on the grounds of the developments potential negative impact on the landscape of the area.
Despite this, all other parties involved with the consultation either voiced no objections, or in the case of WODC Housing, supported the proposal.
Image: © Crown copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100024316
© 2026 UK Property Forums. All rights reserved.
This article and its contents are the intellectual property of UK Property Forums and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used in any form without prior written permission. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not constitute legal or professional advice.
