<\/p>\n
\n Town planner John Woolcock, appointed by the Secretary of State, is overseeing the six-week inquiry into proposals at Baynards Green near Bicester.\n<\/p>\n
\n Developers Tritax Symmetry Ardley Limited and Albion Land are appealing after Cherwell District Council refused planning permission for the schemes, which would create around 6.2 million sq ft of logistics and warehousing floorspace.\n<\/p>\n
\n A major issue hanging over the inquiry is Cherwell District Council’s decision not to actively defend its own refusals.\n<\/p>\n
\n Douglas Edwards KC, counsel for the planning authority, said it was “not able to secure the necessary expert advice” and had therefore resolved “not to defend”.\n<\/p>\n
\n Albion Land’s legal team highlighted that Cherwell planning officers recommended approval on two occasions before councillors voted to refuse the applications “contrary to the recommendation of their professional Officers”.\n<\/p>\n
\n Opposition is instead being led by Stoke Lyne Parish Council and Tusmore Park Estate, where the billionaire founding benefactor of Oxford University’s Sa\u00efd Business School, Wafic Sa\u00efd, resides.\n<\/p>\n
\n Objectors argue the developments would industrialise a large area of countryside.\n<\/p>\n
\n In their opening submission, they told the inspector the warehouses, some of which could stand up to 25 metres high – equivalent to over five double-decker buses – would create “transformational change” in the rural open landscape.\n<\/p>\n
\n “It’s hard from the papers to get any real sense of the sheer scale of what is proposed”, they said. “This is simply not the right place for development of this kind to go.”\n<\/p>\n
\n They also raised concerns about the loss of farmland and 5km of hedgerows, impacts on wildlife including bats and farmland birds, butterflies and nearby ancient woodland.\n<\/p>\n
\n Landscape witness Anne Priscott stressed the importance of the Tusmore Estate, describing its restored parkland as “quite phenomenal” and warning that views of the warehouses would remain despite proposed mitigation planting.\n<\/p>\n
\n Local resident Tomas de Vargas Machuca challenged the developers’ case for need, describing it as “manufactured”.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said: “Where there is need, development creates value; where there is no need, it is actually only greed.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Objectors also argue the site is unsustainable, claiming future employees would be “almost entirely dependent on the private car”, estimating that around 94 per cent of daily staff journeys would be made by car.\n<\/p>\n
\n Developers strongly reject those claims, arguing the schemes would bring significant investment, support economic growth and create thousands of jobs.\n<\/p>\n
\n Opening Tritax’s case, Charles Banner KC described logistics as “one of the UK’s most critical economic sectors” and said the development would provide “high-quality large and\/or XXL units in an ideal location to meet an identified unmet need”.\n<\/p>\n
\n The inquiry began on September 22 and is expected to continue until the end of October before the planning inspector makes a decision.\n<\/p>\n
#Battle #XXL #M40 #warehouses #begins #public #inquiry<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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