Plans have been lodged to introduce a "new estate of houses" to a "delightful village" in West Oxfordshire where a proposal to build on open countryside was previously thwarted.
Midlands-based developer Spitfire Homes would like to construct 78 houses on land in the village of Freeland near Witney.
The proposal comes after the applicant previously had its proposal to build 80 homes on the same site unanimously rejected on April 25 last year by West Oxfordshire District Council.
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Now, an applicant planning paper says: "The proposed development has been carefully designed to make efficient use of the land and reflect its position on the edge of the village of Freeland but also its edge of countryside setting.
"The design of the dwellings has also evolved from the previous application, improving the overall design quality, and taking cues from the site’s immediate context.
"The finish and design of the proposed development has had regard to its context and the village of Freeland, which contains a variety of building styles.
"The proposed design therefore seeks to take account of the character of the village by providing a modern interpretation of a traditional domestic building form."
Under the plans, 50 per cent of the homes would be "affordable" over the 5.35 hectare site.
One concerned householder Jane Tomlinson had written to the West Oxfordshire District Council’s public planning portal in objection to the last development.
Ms Tomlinson said: “Freeland's population is 1,500. A new estate of 80 houses plonked in a field would increase the size of the village by 10 plus per cent.
“It's too big, entirely inappropriate and has numerous knock-on effects."
The proposal incorporates a mixture of one, two, three, four and five bedroom homes including houses, maisonettes and bungalows.
A total of 178 car parking spaces are also proposed to serve the development as well as informal play area in the southern part of the site.
An applicant planning paper describes Freeland as a "delightful village located five miles north east of Witney and five miles north of Eynsham".
Building materials for the development are "generally standard light brick or reconstituted stone".
Refusal of the developer's previous application last year came as Freeland residents had only fought against plans for a retirement village which they said "was the wrong development in the wrong place" as the village did not have the infrastructure to support it.
But a planning paper for the new application concludes: "The development will respect its edge of countryside location plus existing adjacent uses, providing a visually attractive scheme that will enhance links to the open countryside through pedestrian links and access to the site."
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About the author
Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county.
She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.
Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi
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