95 new homes near Banbury refused by council over impact

David Wilson Homes submitted the application to Cherwell District Council for the homes on land next to Bloxham Recreation Ground off South Newington Road, in Bloxham.

The development would have included two, three, four and five-bed homes, with 35 per cent classed as 'affordable', plus open space such as wildflower meadows and “enhanced walking and cycling routes".

The 'masterplan' for the site on the edge of Bloxham (Image: Barratt / David Wilson Homes)

When the plans were first submitted, the developer said the scheme would help meet Cherwell's housing supply shortfall, while delivering biodiversity improvements and new infrastructure for the village.

However, councillors rejected the proposal, concluding that the development would cause be harmful to the landscape and open countryside and would be "detrimental" to the nearby Slade Nature Reserve.

The council also raised concerns over a proposed three-metre-wide shared cycleway, arguing it would require the removal of grass verges and vegetation, creating an urban appearance that would be out of keeping with the village's rural setting.

A further concern was the scheme's conflict with the emerging Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan 2024-2042, which does not allocate the site for housing development.

David Wilson Homes South Midlands has applied to build 95 homes on a site on the edge of Bloxham (Image: Savills Urban Design / David Wilson Homes)

The authority said the scale of the proposal, combined with other planned growth in the village, would have an "adverse cumulative impact on Bloxham's character".

The application was also refused because a Section 106 legal agreement securing infrastructure and community contributions had not been completed.

This refusal comes after a previous application from Gladman Developments for the same number of homes on the site was withdrawn in 2019.