Longworth Scout Group to have plans approved for new building

1st Longworth Scout Group has applied for the facility, which will provide two activity rooms, on land east of  Oxford Close, Oxford Road in Kingston Bagpuize. 

The scheme has been recommended for permission and will be decided by Vale of White Horse District Council's planning committee on Wednesday, October 16. 

It has been brought before the committee due to an objection from Oxfordshire County Council's highways department. 

The objection, from Chris Nichols, said: “The county’s previous responses to this planning application has expressed concern regarding the under provision of car parking spaces at the site and the likely resultant incidence of on-street parking creating a road safety hazard. 

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Building plan (Image: Vale of White Horse District Council) “It is also worth noting that the proposed site is somewhat more peripheral to the existing urban area and as a result the car mode share for the new site may increase. Under this scenario the proposed level of car parking provision is inadequate.”

A total of five public objections and one supporting comment were also received. 

Greg Cornell, of Morris Drive, said: “The proposal is too large, is not single storey at around 8m high, and most of the materials used do not match the area, creating a mish-mash look. This, coupled with the dominance, height, massing and scale of this non-green proposal, will make it visually unattractive in the local area. A lot of the proposals impact on our home, privacy, and would become very disruptive to us.”

David Hancox, of Faringdon Road, said: “I continue to fully support this application both personally and on behalf of the John Blandy Educational Foundation.

“It is extremely frustrating and disappointing that it is over three years since the initial application was made and a decision has not yet been made. Therefore the parish council is unable to allocate CIL funding and fundraising cannot commence.”

The building will include a climbing wall, kitchen, shower-room and toilets, along with storage space. The scout group is currently based in Faringdon Road in Kingston Bagpuize. The planning officers' report says that the new building would allow them to improve the quality of their facilities and expand the capacity to support a greater number of local young people.

The report added: “The scale, height, footprint and materials are appropriate to its intended purpose and are in keeping with the predominantly residential character of the edge of settlement location. 

“The development promotes the use of sustainable means of transport in a community context, which has been secured by condition. Subject to conditions, the development would not pose risks to protected species, result in harm to highway safety or result in the displacement of parking onto the highway. A sustainable drainage scheme and biodiversity enhancements have been secured as part of the proposals.”