Jewson Holdings Ltd has failed to obtain consent for an office development on its land at Valley Farm, Farmoor, in the Oxfordshire green belt.
The company had planned to demolish farm buildings on the land and to replace them with 1,245m2 of office accommodation. Jewson had hoped that this development would enable it to raise money for the restoration of two Grade II listed barns on the farm.
However, the High Court has upheld a planning inspector’s decision dismissing an appeal against the refusal of the scheme by Vale of White Horse District Council.
Jewson argued that the planning inspector had erred in his approach to an English Heritage policy document, and had failed to give sufficient reasons for his decision.
Dismissing Jewson’s challenge, Davies J said that the inspector’s decision had been based upon “market testing”, and he had been entitled to decide the matter in the way that he had. The judge added that it had not been necessary for the inspector to investigate the matters contained in the English Heritage policy document.
Jewson Holdings Ltd v First Secretary of State Queen’s Bench Division (Davies J) 21 March 2003.
Neil Cameron (instructed by Herbert Mallam Gowers, of Oxford) appeared for the claimant; Philip Coppel (instructed by the Treasury Solicitor) appeared for the defendant.
References: PLS News 24/3/03
