The application to WODC for planning permission for the proposed extension to the Guildenford car park was heard on Monday. The planning committee refused permission so Burford Town Council is back to square one in its efforts to find more parking for the town. We hope to have more on this story in the August edition of The Bridge.
Added 20 July 2020:
Derek Cotterill, district councillor for Burford, has written as follows:
The planning application for expanding the Guildenford car park was heard at the Uplands Planning Subcommittee meeting on Monday, 6 July. The officer recommendation was to refuse the application and the Committee duly sanctioned that recommendation.
The refusal reasons are numerous but basically hinge upon the detrimental affect to the setting of a Grade 1 listed building, the church. The bridge into the churchyard required by the church was a particularly contentious point. The fact that the 150 -200 person congregation and, similarly, 200 users of the Warwick Hall walk from the present car park around the double bend of Church Lane with no pavement was not important. WODC places more importance on views of the church to the east from private land over the road safety for visitors, etc., to Burford. No accident on the bend yet but many narrow misses.
The objection from the Environment Agency that the car park would be in flood plain, just like the existing one, was another reason for refusal. The current car park which readily floods has recently been fitted with a 4 inch pipe by WODC to drain it directly into the river whatever the pollutants. That situation could have been improved so the refusal is regarded as short-sighted.
There is a six month period in which an appeal can be lodged or a twelve month for a re-application addressing the reasons for refusal. The High Street is impacted severely by the success of the Warwick Hall and the WODC Parking Survey, and its Local Plan, calls for 200 extra off street parking spaces in Burford.