Charity in legal challenge over buffer between development and adjoining ancient woodland site

Friends of the West Oxfordshire Cotswolds said that, with the support of 55 local and district residents, it had reached its £30,000 target to support the challenge over a development at Rushy Bank in Charlbury.  

The charity said: “Final plans show the development fails to deliver on its minimal 5 metre buffer to the adjoining ancient woodland site with dwellings 1.5m from the woodland edge. Natural England and our Local Plan specify a 15m minimum buffer.”

It added that it wrote to West Oxfordshire District Council setting out its complaint on 1 September. However, the council has rejected the complaint and the charity has filed a claim in the High Court.

Friends of West Oxfordshire Cotswolds said: “We greatly regret the expense which such a process will involve. We have not been helped in avoiding this by WODC’s failure to disclose revised plans for the development submitted on 6 July. These plans were amended in response to our evidence that they were moving the edge of the development into the woodland.”

A spokesperson for West Oxfordshire District Council said: "With this case going to judicial review it would be inappropriate for us to comment until the conclusion of the review."