Councils to pay Oxford college's costs after homes bid

Two councils have been told to pay an Oxford college's appeal costs after they behaved unreasonably over a planning application.

Merton College first applied to build 540 homes on land in Yarnton, Oxfordshire, in July 2021.

But in September 2023 it appealed after Cherwell District Council failed to make a decision on it.

A planning inspector said Cherwell Council and Oxfordshire County Council held up the application's progress.

The project is part of the 4,400 new homes allocated by Cherwell Council in Yarnton, North Oxford, Kidlington and Begbroke to meet Oxford's housing needs.

Planning inspector Jonathan Bore said the development would provide "much needed homes" for the city.

Mr Bore found Cherwell Council showed a "slowness and lack of engagement" with Merton College's application.

But he said that concerns had been solved in January - and before February's planning appeal - showed there was "nothing substantive" in previous objections.

He said it provided no explanation as to why it did not determine the college's application within an appropriate period.

Mr Bore said the county council had also caused the college unnecessary expense because of its "full responsibility" for other delays.

That included persisting with an objection over access to replacement playing fields for the William Fletcher Primary School in Yarnton, despite Cherwell Council not wanting to pursue it as a reason for refusal.

The county council's action meant the college incurred "significant costs" in its attempt to reach agreement on the issue, Mr Bore said.

The costs will be settled at a later date.

A Cherwell Council spokesman said: "This appeal decision relates to a site allocated for residential development in the council's Local Plan. Officers are considering the inspector's decisions closely."

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson said: "The county council is currently considering the inspector's decisions."

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