PLANS to build more flats by the A34 in Botley have been approved on appeal.

The proposals to demolish 26-28 Westminster Way for a new apartment block were initially rejected by Vale of White Horse District Council last year.

A block of nine flats, granted planning permission in 2011, sits next door to the proposed site.

In July last year the council’s planning development manager recommended the new apartment block be refused because of “substandard parking provision” and the fact future residents would be “exposed to significant levels of noise from the adjacent A34 trunk road”.

Our top stories

Councillors raised objections including increased traffic on Westminster Way and that the eight planned off-street car parking spaces was inadequate for the nine apartments.

But the planning inspectorate ruled that noise and parking provision would not be an issue.

Planning inspector Martin Andrews said a number of noise mitigation measures would safeguard future occupiers’ living conditions as with the apartments at 30-32 Westminster Way, approved in 2011.

Vale district councillor for North Hinksey Debby Hallett said: “These four-storey flats are being built right in the most polluted area in the Vale of White Horse; there is no proposed mitigation for the inevitable health impacts.”

She added: “Developments with an under-provision of parking cause occupants’ vehicles to crowd nearby streets.”

An application by the developer, Westminster Developments Ltd, for costs against the district council was refused.

Costs may be awarded against a party who has behaved unreasonably and caused the party applying for costs to incur unnecessary or wasted expense in the appeal process.

The new flats will share outdoor amenities with the neighbouring development.

In 2013, part of Botley was declared an Air Quality Management Area after measurements showed levels of potentially harmful nitrogen dioxide were above the Government’s national standards next to a stretch of the A34 dual carriageway going through Botley.

The Westminster Way development site falls outside the area covered by the AQMA.

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.