Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Diana Lugova, Cllr Saj Malik and Cllr Lesley McLean.

There were none.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2026 and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2026 were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Officers updated the Committee on correspondence received following the decision of the Committee in January to approve the former Wicklesham Quarry application. Matters raised included alleged misdirection, policy reference errors, the Gunning Principles and consultation issues, all of which officers had comprehensively reviewed. It was confirmed that an incorrect policy reference did not materially affect the decision and that the Secretary of State had declined to call in the application.

Officers further updated the Committee on the decision of the Committee in February to refer the Radley ROMP application for determination by the Secretary of State, confirming that no final decision had been made by the Secretary of State but that the Committee would be informed when the decision was confirmed.

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Five requests to address the Committee on the following agenda items had been received from:

Item 5: Land Adjacent to Ferris Hill Farm, Sibford Road, Hook Norton, Banbury (OX15 5JY)

-        Chris Jarvis (Applicant’s Agent)

-        James Clarke

-        Nathan Matthews (Applicant)

-        Tim Lunel

-        Nigel Davis (Milcombe Parish Council)

Report by Planning Development Manager

Part retrospective application for the creation of a development platform, erection of a new building and installation and operation of a Combined Heat and Power Plant along with associated landscape works.

It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission for application MW.0027/24 be refused for the following reasons:

a)    The proposed development would potentially divert a substantial proportion of waste currently recycled at the safeguarded Banbury Plant & Skip Hire site into residual waste treatment through incineration. No robust evidence has been provided to demonstrate that this material cannot continue to be managed at a higher tier of the waste hierarchy. The proposal would therefore result in waste moving down the hierarchy, contrary to policy W2 of the OMWCS and the National Planning policy for Waste.
Furthermore, the proposal provides no increase in recycling capacity and does not address the identified shortfall in non‑hazardous waste recycling capacity in Oxfordshire. As no need for additional residual waste treatment capacity has been demonstrated, the development is contrary to policies W1 and W3 of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan – Part 1 Core Strategy.

b)    The proposed development would include greenfield land as the facility would extend waste management operations onto previously undeveloped agricultural land. The applicant has not demonstrated that this would be the most suitable or sustainable option for the proposed development. As such, the proposed development is contrary to policy W5 of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan – Part 1 Core Strategy.

c)    The proposal does not constitute sustainable development. It has not been demonstrated that it would not increase the incineration of waste material capable of being recycled thus moving the management of waste down the waste hierarchy and this is not outweighed by the claimed energy recovery benefits relating to local heat and electricity supply. The development therefore fails to deliver sustainable outcomes and is not sustainable development contrary to policy C1 of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan – Part 1 Core Strategy and policies PSD1 and ESD3 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2031.

The Chair introduced the item to the meeting and invited officers to introduce the application, which was a part retrospective application for the creation of a development platform, erection of a new building and installation and operation of a Combined Heat and Power Plant along with associated landscape works.

Officers presented maps and photographs of the areas that would be affected by the application.

Officers referenced some further information that had been provided in an addendum, which had been published on the website. Statements of support for the application had been received from Hook Norton Parish Council and several local businesses. The applicant had also provided further information on the heat network and electricity grid connections.

Whilst this was informative, officers confirmed that the extra information did not change their recommendation to the Committee of refusing the planning application as set out in the report.

Members raised several points of clarification on the presentation, before public addresses, including:

-       The extent of hedgerow removal and how loss would be mitigated through proposed landscaping and tree planting. Officers confirmed that hedgerow removal would be limited and mitigated through replacement planting and long-term management plans.

-       Clarification on the retrospective elements of the application and the planning status of the existing works on the site. Officers confirmed that the development platform had been partially constructed without planning permission. If the Committee was minded to refuse the application, these works would be unauthorised and could be required to be removed.

-       The visual and landscape impact of the application, particularly around the proposed building and bunding. Officers noted that the building would be significantly screened from views, particularly with the proposed tree planting and bunding.

-       Whether the site should be considered as greenfield land given previous permissions and earthworks. Officers confirmed that the area of expansion should be considered as greenfield land.

-       The lighting impacts and connectivity to electricity and heat networks. Officers advised that lighting, noise, hours of operation and waste throughput could be tightly controlled through planning conditions, should permission be granted. Officers also clarified that grid and heat connectivity were not secured at present and would require separate approvals.

-       Clarification was sought on the waste hierarchy, including whether operation of the CHP plant could divert recyclable material from higher‑value recycling streams, the expected waste throughput, and how the proposal aligned with waste policy objectives. Officers acknowledged that energy recovery sat above landfill but below recycling. Evidence drawn from Environment Agency waste data indicated that a substantial proportion of waste leaving the site was currently recycled elsewhere. Officers advised that it had not been robustly demonstrated that operation of the CHP plant would not divert material from higher‑value recycling streams, which formed a core element of the refusal recommendation

The Chair invited speakers to make their addresses to the Committee and confirmed that Members may ask questions of clarification after they had finished their speech.

Mr. Chris Jarvis, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35/26

The information in this case is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed categories:

5. Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

To approve the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2026 and to receive information arising from them.

The exempt minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2026 were approved by the Committee and signed by the Chair as a correct record.