A planning committee has gone against its officers' recommendation in refusing a scheme to replace a house in an Oxford suburb with two. 

Changlong Sun submitted an application to Vale of White Horse District Council for the houses in Cumnor Hill in Botley. 

It was decided by the planning committee on Wednesday, September 25. The committee voted to refuse it despite the officers' recommendation to permit it. 

The reason for refusal was that the committee thought it would harm the character of the area. 

The proposal had been controversial with a total of 16 objections. 

READ MORE: Footballer David Seaman hosts Oxfordshire fishing match

Plans for two homes (Image: Vale of White Horse District Council) In the planning officers' report, it said: "The proposed development accords with the spatial strategy of the development plan and subject to the recommended conditions officers consider that the development will be unharmful to visual and neighbour amenity, highway safety, ecology and flood risk.

"Therefore, the application is considered to accord with the policies of the development plan and the NPPF and it is recommended that permission be granted." 

The committee had concerns about the height of the proposed rear house and asked the planning officer to explain why they felt it was in keeping with the character of the area. 

The planning officer explained the proposal had been considered in the immediate context of the dwellings in Martin Close and Cumnor Hill and the flats located to the east of the site all of which was established backland development. The planning officer noted that the proposed house to the rear is only slightly further back than the existing buildings. 

In the minutes of the meeting, it said: “A motion, moved and seconded, to refuse the application on the basis of the harm the proposal would do to the character of the area, was carried on being put to the vote.

“The committee reflected that it was clear from the Neighbourhood Plan that backland development was something it sought to prevent in the area. Whilst the relevant policy contained a qualifier for backland development this should be a high bar to meet. The committee were also troubled by the application due to the slope of the site and the height of the proposed dwellings.

“Some members of the committee were in agreement with the officer recommendation that the proposal was set in a well-developed environment and reflected that there were no objections from technical consultees to the proposal.”

In the published reason for refusal, it said: “That, having regard to the designated low-density character of the area, the varied topography across the site and relative to the surrounding land, the development in this location, within an Area of Special Local Character, which involves backland development for one of the new houses would appear cramped and be harmful to the established character of the area.”