Proposed Development Area
Proposed Development Area
OUTLINE
The latest application at Rushy Bank is for 37 dwellings. The site is several hundred metres from the existing settlement edge, on the west side of the river and floodplain. The site adjoins an ancient woodland. It sits at the heart of the Wychwood Project area on the approach from the town to Wychwood Forest. Charlbury is itself a designated Conservation Area within the AONB.
Originally promoted by a local developer Rushy BP Limited, and including a local self build group and a young dementia facility, the latest proposal is general housing and is led by London based Launcelot Investments and the developer HarperCrewe.
SUCCESSFUL LEGAL ACTION
Despite not having a housing association willing to build out the original scheme and a consent which required that, the developer twice attempted to start work on site. FOWOC successfully challenged both attempts in the High Court, in March 2023 and then again in 2024.
Before the High Court had a chance to rule on the second permission the developer submitted a new application. Initially this attempted to piggyback on the original consent but after the High Court ruled that that had expired, the developer and WODC sought to justify it on its own merits. WODC approved the application in January 2026, but conceded it was unlawful after a pre-action letter from our legal team.
This application returns to committee on 15th June 2026. Having now conceded that this site does not adjoin the built up area and is open countryside in planning terms, planning officers are seeking approval on the basis that this is permitted open countryside housing development. Those familiar with West Oxfordshire' s local plan will know that this is not true and our legal team has written to WODC rejecting this. Furthermore it is in the Cotswolds National Landscape on rising land in the setting of the Charlbury Conservation Area, adjoining and harming a priority ancient woodland habitat and in an identified nature recovery area.
We continue to defend our countryside.