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Search the Public Notice PortalNew plans have been lodged for the redevelopment of a former hotel in a west Oxfordshire village.
Bamford Property wants to revitalise the site of the dilapidated Mill House Hotel in Kingham, which closed in 2017.
A scheme was approved by West Oxfordshire District Council in August last year for a new 38-bed hotel.
However, fresh plans have now been lodged for 10 holiday cottages, which would bring the total number of beds down to 23.
A previous application was refused in 2021 after it was agreed the development comprised major development within the Cotswolds AONB and “an exceptional circumstances case has not been made.”
The scheme last year attracted a number of objections, with one raising concerns about “daily helicopter flights” over their homes.
READ MORE: Plans for 55 homes in Oxfordshire village decision due
James Price, of West End, Kingham, said: “The original application was already arguably overweight in burdens to the local community infrastructure. This proposal will make matters worse with increased traffic and visitors.
“Planners please dwell on the problems in Bibury where the popularity of the village brings so many visitors that normal villagers' lives are brought to a standstill.”
Oxfordshire County Council's transport department also raised concerns.
An objection said: "It is considered that the net additional traffic generated by the proposal would not result in a severe ‘residual cumulative impact’ on the surrounding road network.
"It is noted that the proposed access is wider than the previous consent with a footway that is separated by a grass margin.
"It is not clear why the vehicular access is proposed to be widened from the consented position nor why the pedestrian link has been reduced from 2m to 1.5m."
The application's planning statement said: “The Mill House Hotel ceased trading in December 2017 and the applicant purchased the site in spring 2019 with the aim of revitalising the hotel and site.
“Consent was granted in August 2024 for the redevelopment of the site to provide 38 bedrooms, restaurant, alehouse, reception/bakehouse and demonstration barn.
“The demand and challenges of the tourism and hospitality market post covid has driven the focus on the highest quality of accommodation and guest experience in competition with the unincumbered world market which has opened with the removal of travel restrictions.
“Operationally, it is therefore best to deliver fewer bedrooms of a high quality and enhance guest experience.
“The revised scheme has been separated into separate applications to align with the phasing of development, which concentrates on the delivery of the hotels’ cottages as the first phase, with the construction of the mill thereafter.”
