Locals have launched a campaign against plans for a 'world class' classic car museum and 56 luxury holiday homes and “farmstead” properties. 

American collector Peter Mullin has applied to West Oxfordshire District Council to build an classic car museum and exhibition building at The Driving Centre, Enstone Airfield on the Great Tew Estate.

The site is former RAF airfield land which was most recently occupied by Vision Motorsport, including a rally circuit and a performance car motorsport circuit.

At the centre of the proposals is a building called The Crescent which will house the museum, a members club, members rooms, an events space, 16 apartments and 20 residences.

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In the grounds would be 16 holiday homes and four "farmsteads".

Mr Mullin owns the prestigious Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, and has been trying to open a UK version in West Oxfordshire for four years.

His first application, which would have seen up to 200 classic cars housed at the museum, was withdrawn in September 2018.

It faced more than 180 objections many of them from locals living near the proposed site.

Oxford Mail:

Designs for the facility were then drawn up by world-famous architect Norman Foster for the facility plus 28 holiday lodges.

This application was given outline planning permission in 2020.

New detailed planning permission is now being sought by Mullin Automotive Museum Development Company Ltd as proposed alterations go beyond what is usually permitted under a reserved matters application.

These include a second exhibition building for temporary exhibitions and increasing the number of holiday homes from 28 to 56.

There are over 70 objections on the WODC portal while posters have appeared around the local area urging people to submit more.

Robert Davy from Swerford wrote: "This development will completely change a rural area bringing: noise pollution from a track used 312 days a year, light pollution, overcrowded roads, blocked roads on the 10 days of events - even more holiday homes and not homes for residents."

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Nicole Page Croft wrote: "The noise from constant racing will also be intolerable. We will no longer be able to sit in our gardens in the summer without the threat of constant car engine sounds."

Sandford Park Estate, a country house with landscape park and gardens a short distance from the proposed development, has undertaken a review of a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) that relates to the planning application.

It states that in light of this analysis "Sandford Park strongly object to the proposal on landscape and visual grounds."

 

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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

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