Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Malik, substituted by Cllr Snowdon, and from Cllr McLean.

Cllr Sargent declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of Item 5, Land at Former Wicklesham Quarry, Faringdon, SN7 7PH, as he had led scientific field trips to the site in the past.

The Chair noted that she intended to step down from the Chair for Item 6, Land at Thrupp Farm, Radley, Abingdon, Oxfordshire Grid (Ref: SU 51539 97065) and would not participate in the debate or vote on the application. Item 6 would be chaired by the Deputy Chair.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2025 and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 November were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Members of the public who wish to speak on an item on the agenda at this meeting, or present a petition, can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection.

Requests to present a petition must be submitted no later than 9am ten working days before the meeting.

Requests to speak must be submitted no later than 9am three working days before the meeting.

Requests should be submitted to committeesdemocraticservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you may submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails, then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9am on the day of the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

Twenty-three requests to address the Committee on the following agenda items had been received from:

Land at Former Wicklesham Quarry, Faringdon, SN7 7PH

-        Cllr Bethia Thomas (Faringdon)

-        Cllr Emma Markham (Shrivenham)

-        Vale of White Horse District Cllr Katherine Foxhall (Watchfield & Shrivenham)

-        Vale of White Horse District Cllr Viral Patel (Watchfield & Shrivenham)

-        Faringdon Town Cllr Mike Wise

-        Peter Black

-        Dr Anna Hoare

-        Scott McBeath

-        Samantha Gould

-        Glen Yarwood

-        Andy Benford

-        Nick Evans

-        Sebastiaan Evans

-        Olga Mazur

-        Spencer Cooper (Applicant)

Land at Thrupp Farm, Radley, Abingdon, Oxfordshire Grid (Ref: SU 15139 97065)

-        Andrew Coker

-        Roger Thomas

-        Chris Henderson

-        Craig Woolhouse

-        Richard Dudding

-        James Lodge (Applicant)

-        Nick Dunn (Applicant’s Agent)

Report by Planning Development Manager

Outline flexible planning application for a total of up to (29, 573) sq m GIA of commercial floorspace for Use Classes E(g) i (offices); and/or, E(g)(ii) (research and development); and/or, E(g)(iii) (light industrial); and/ or B2 (general industrial); and/or B8 (storage and distribution); and ancillary uses. All matters reserved for future determination except for access.

It is RECOMMENDED that subject to a Traffic Regulation Order to secure the raised island crossing and a Section 106 agreement to cover the matters outlined in Annex 2, planning permission for MW.0151/23 be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Director of Economy and Place, to include those set out in Annex 1.

The Chair introduced the item to the meeting and invited the Planning Development Manager to introduce the application, which was an outline flexible planning application for a total of up to (29, 573) sq m GIA of commercial floorspace for Use Classes E(g) i (offices); and/or, E(g)(ii) (research and development); and/or, E(g)(iii) (light industrial); and/ or B2 (general industrial); and/or B8 (storage and distribution); and ancillary uses, with all matters reserved for future determination except for access.

Officers provided updates to the report, outlined below and in the Addenda published:

-       Policy 4.5b of the Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan remains part of the Development Plan, with references to Core Policy 4 of the Vale of White Horse Neighbourhood Plan 2031 Part 1 not applicable to this application as it was related to housing need.

-       The presence of a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) doesn’t necessarily render that development isn’t sustainable.

-       Natural England had not objected to the application subject to the mitigation outlined in the report, including the submission of a Geological Management Plan and provision for long-term access to geological features, provided for in the suggested Section 106 agreement conditions.

-       Any development that may be proposed on adjacent land, including at Lodge Farm, would be subject to separate planning applications and therefore is not a material consideration in relation to this application.

The Planning Development Manager presented maps and photographs of the proposed application site.

The Chair invited speakers to address the Committee.

Councillor Bethia Thomas (County Councillor for Faringdon) raised concerns about the application relating to highways provision and mitigation and landscape impacts, despite the intentions of the application to provide Faringdon with high quality employment. It was important to protect the geology of the area, given it was a SSSI. If the application was to be approved, Councillor Thomas noted she would support further mitigation particularly with respect to highways.

Councillor Emma Markham (County Councillor for Shrivenham) opposed the outline planning application due to its contravention of the Vale of White Horse’s Local Plan and its lack of suitability for being a development site; the damage it would do to the SSSI; its negative impact on biodiversity and the congestion it could cause on surrounding roads, including the A420.

Vale of White Horse District Councillor Katherine Foxhall (Watchfield & Shrivenham) noted the conflict that the application posed with the Vale of White Horse Local Plan’s spatial strategy (Core Policy 20), which had seen the former Wicklesham Quarry site been rejected several times. District Councillor Foxhall noted there were alternative sites that could be explored within Faringdon and opposed the planning application being approved.

Vale of White Horse District Councillor Viral Patel (Watchfield & Shrivenham) opposed the application, citing other spaces such as Milton Park, meaning there was not an urgent need for life sciences. District Councillor Patel noted the conflict this application had with Core Policy 32 of the Vale of White Horse Local Plan and the road safety issues this application could cause.

Faringdon  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/26

Report by Planning Development Manager

Application for determination of the conditions to which a planning permission is to be subject (Permission numbers DD1 and DD2).

It is RECOMMENDED:

a)    That in the absence of there being a position in law to refuse the application to determine the conditions to which planning permission numbers DD1 and DD2 are to be subject despite the significant effect identified through the loss of irreplaceable and priority habitats, refer the application to the Secretary of State for their consideration as to whether to call the application in for their own determination;

b)    Should the Secretary of State decline to call the application in for their own determination, authorise the Director of Economy and Place to determine the conditions to which planning permissions DD1 and DD2 are to be subject including those set out in Annex 4 but without the condition restricting development in the areas of irreplaceable and priority habitats.

The Chair, Cllr Diana Lugova, stood down from the Chair before the beginning of this item and the Deputy Chair, Cllr Tony Worgan, took up the Chair.

The Deputy Chair, now in the Chair, proposed that the consideration of agenda item 6 be deferred until the next meeting of the Planning & Regulation Committee on 23^rd February 2026, due to the insufficient time remaining to discuss the item.

The Deputy Chair apologised to all those who had come to speak on agenda item 6.

RESOLVED: that the Committee unanimously agreed to defer item 6 to the next meeting of the Planning & Regulation Committee on 23^rd February 2026.