Rushy Bank planning application - second public display

Now the planning application has gone in and information leaflets distributed around the town, the Rushy Bank development partnership will be holding a second public display of proposals for the site on Saturday 21 March (10-12) in the Corner House. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible there to look at the exciting detailed designs for the site.

Rushy Bank planning application: FAQs

Frequently asked questions about the Rushy Bank project prepared by The Rushy Bank Partnership, including the Beacon Project and YoungDementia UK Homes.

Birds eye view of proposal for Rushy Bank

1. Will the development open the door for further development around the station?

No, it won't set a precedent. We believe that the development is responding to identified local housing need and is therefore an exception. Any future development would have to demonstrate that it was similarly meeting a particular local housing need. The surrounding land would not be suitable for market housing due to its Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status.

2. Why can’t the proposed development be provided on a brownfield site?

Local Housing Need

Para 47 of the National Planning Policy Framework identifies that the supply of housing should be significantly increased. The Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) concludes that there is a significant need for new housing within Oxfordshire. In response to the SHMA, West Oxfordshire has increased the proposed housing numbers in the emerging Local Plan 2029 from 5,500 to 9,450. Within the emerging Local Plan 2029, Charlbury falls within the Burford and Charlbury Sub-Area. A focused housing consultation undertaken by the Council during August and September 2014 identified that 650 new homes will be delivered in the Burford and Charlbury Sub-Area during the plan period. West Oxfordshire has acknowledged, as recently as January 2015, that it does not have an identified five year land supply and, as such, Government policy says that there should be a presumption, by the local planning authority, in favour of sustainable development.

3. Doesn’t the fact that the site falls within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty mean that it is protected from any development?

One third of West Oxfordshire falls within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and there are 51 Conservation Areas. The site’s location in the Cotswolds AONB does not prevent development. The statutory test for development within a Cotswolds AONB is whether it will conserve/ enhance the character and appearance of the area. The joint project's architects, Oxford Architects and the Oxford Design Studio have successfully designed a scheme which is sympathetic to the surrounding area and which utilises ematerials used in buildings around Charlbury.

4. Isn’t the site outside Charlbury’s settlement boundary?

The adopted West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011, or the emerging Local Plan 2029 does not include settlement boundaries.

5. How will the impact of the building on the local environment and views be reduced in view of its location?

The two architects involved with the development, Oxford Architects and the Oxford Design Studio, have created plans for a design that will blend into the site as much as possible taking into consideration the contours of the site. This allows us to have single and two storey carefully placed along the new access road. The YDUK Homes facility includes meeting rooms which will be available for community use. The design will use local stone, render and timber walls and a mixture of traditional and sedum roofs to minimise the visual impact.

6. What impact will the development have on traffic levels on Forest Road?

The location of the development will assist in ensuring that traffic movements are dispersed. Its situation next to foot paths, the railway station and bus routes from the station should help to minimise car usage. The highways access solution will assist in slowing traffic as it approaches the town down Forest Road hill.

We are not anticipating high levels of traffic in and out of the YDUK Homes facility as the 12 people living there are unlikely to have their own cars and the staff supporting them will be encouraged to use public transport to get to work.

7. Flood Risk Assessment

The site is outside the flood risk area. A flood risk assessment report will accompany the planning application and this will be a consideration by the local planning authority and Environment Agency in reviewing the sites suitability for development.

8. Why has the Beacon Project chosen this site?

The Beacon Project Charlbury has spent four years looking for a site in Charlbury suitable for an environmentally sustainable community self-build project. Rushy Bank ticks all the boxes: Cornbury Park has made the land affordable for self-builders; it is close to public transport and no further from the centre of town than houses down Woodstock Road; it has environmental features, such as a very active spring, meaning that the housing there might be an exemplar for sustainable development; and finally we are thrilled with the proposed community mix that is proposed for this site, including affordable, self-build, market and sheltered housing. We don’t think we could hope for a better site from an integrated community point of view.

9. Why have YDUK Homes decided to change sites from the Cricket Club to Rushy Bank?

During YDUK Homes’ public consultation last year, some people raised concerns about the previous choice of site adjacent to the Cricket Club, principally about access and flood risk and steps were taken to mitigate these risks and allay people’s concerns.

The Rushy Bank site was not available to YDUK Homes at the time they were offered the land behind the cricket club so when YDUK Homes were approached by the Rushy Bank Partnership to be part of their planned development we decided it was worth revisiting our architectural plans and financial projections to be part of this broader community development. The ‘new ‘site has all the benefits of the ‘old’ site, notably its proximity to the town with all its amenities whilst also locating our residents in the centre of a potentially lively residential community, in line with our aims.

10. Why has YDUK Homes chosen Charlbury?

Charlbury fits all the criteria for the location of our planned facility: within or on the edge of a town within Oxfordshire, and with access to good transport links making it as easy as possible for family and friends to visit.

Many of the over 30 sites we’ve considered over the last few years have been too isolated, or we have been in competition with private developers who can afford to pay market values. We have also looked at central sites in large towns, but these have either been too small or too expensive for us.

We have also considered two other sites suggested by Charlbury Town Council, one at Little Lees and the other at Ticknell Piece. After careful consideration we decided that these sites had potential for market housing and as a consequence, it was deemed likely that other social and private housing proposals would come forward which could jeopardise our purchase of the sites and delay us progressing with our plans.

The site in Charlbury meets the requirements for our facility. The involvement of the community will be a vital part in reducing the isolation of people with young onset dementia and Charlbury residents have indicated that the project would be a welcome addition to the town.

11. Will the YDUK Homes scheme also give priority to local people?

Our funders are very clear that the priority will be given to people living in West Oxfordshire. If we are unable to find someone from West Oxfordshire to fill a vacancy we will then look for applicants across the whole of the County and people who live in neighbouring Counties who want to live in Oxfordshire to be nearer to family and friends. At the moment many people who live with young onset dementia in Oxfordshire have to be placed in specialist homes outside of the County, as there are no specialist homes available. This makes it difficult for their families to visit them so it’s important these people are given the chance to move back to be nearer their relatives.

12. Will this location be safe for people with young onset dementia?

The home will be securely fenced and have a controlled gate at the entrance. All of our residents will have a risk assessment completed on a regular basis and, with permission, have personal locators to allow them freedom to move around but allowing staff to monitor their whereabouts. Many people with young onset dementia continue to follow routines from their past and this can be reflected in their desire to go to a particular place as they would if they were going to work or walking the dog at the same time every day. We feel that this past should be taken into account and understood in order to help people to feel fulfilled rather than restricted in their lives.

People with young onset dementia often get bored or frustrated if they don’t get enough exercise and activity; this will be addressed with lots of opportunity for residents to take part in activities in the home, as well as in the local community with the support of our staff.

13. What is the timetable for commencing the building works?

The Rushy Bank Partnership are planning to submit their joint application in February 2015 and are aiming to start the building works in October 2015.

Thank you Charlbury!

We had a fantastic response to the community display in the Corner House on Thursday 15th January, and would like to express our thanks to everyone who turned out to find out more about the proposed development, and to express their views. We estimate that up to 150 people came through during the afternoon, which is a terrific response.

The Beacon Project Charlbury members who were there fielded a number of enquiries from local people interested in environmentally sustainable affordable or self-build housing near the train station. If you are reading this because you didn't get a chance to come along and register interest then please get in touch via email.

More information about the plans can be downloaded from www.rushybank.co.uk.

We also appreciated the chance to speak to a few residents living on the Evenlode valley side of the town and discuss their concerns. We hope that the Rushy Bank partnership will allay fears in due course and we want to keep the constructive conversation going.

We all love the Evenlode Valley, and we hope this proposal will allow more local people to stay in Charlbury so that they can enjoy it!

There was some great coverage in the Oxford Mail last week about the community event and the project in general (see below - click to enlarge & read). Many thanks to the Wilkinsons for their willingness to go on the record about the local housing need.

Article by Martin Elvery in Oxford Mail, 23 January 2015

Rushy Bank public consultation

Location of Rushy Bank proposed development
 and the other main growth areas of Charlbury

As part of the Rushy Bank Partnership we are holding a public exhibition of the proposals for the Rushy Bank development on Thursday 15 January 2015, 2.30 - 7.30pm in the Charlbury Corner House (Anne Downer Room).

We will be showing people our plans for community self-build homes on the site and inviting local people who express an interest in self-build to sign up.

The Rushy Bank Partnership includes Cornbury Estate as the land owner, Cox Development Partners, a Charlbury-based professional development team, Oxford Design Studio, a Charlbury-based architectural practice, The Beacon Project Charlbury dealing with the community self-build aspect, Young Dementia UK and a local housing association. 

The proposals are for the development of approximately 30 sustainable homes which will include 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom affordable rent, shared ownership, intermediate and full market sale housing, all designed to meet the needs of our community.

A possible layout for the site, with the
industrial estate and train station to the bottom

The proposals also include land for the Young Dementia UK supported housing scheme which will provide 10 units of accommodation and generate between 10 and 12 full and part-time jobs. The Partnership is committed to use local suppliers, sub-contractors and tradespeople wherever possible on this project. This is a really local partnership right across the board.

The principle is to create a sustainable community that will meet all levels of affordability with preference given to local people to rent or purchase at costs they can afford. The intention is to develop an exemplar for community development and all homes will be built to a high standard with good environmental credentials. There will be approximately equal proportions of each type of housing, subject to the requirements of the local planning authority; coupled with the need to create a viable scheme.

Town Council update

Timber frame design sketch for Beacon Project by Oxford Design Studio, 2014

It has been nearly two years since the Beacon Project last updated Charlbury Town Council about progress, so on Wed 16 April Beacon Secretary Chris Morton addressed councillors ahead of the scheduled council meeting. 

The key points made to councillors were that the last two years have involved a considerable amount of community consultation and profile-raising, including:

• sending a detailed response to the consultations over the draft West Oxfordshire Local Plan in December 2012. The draft Local Plan recognizes self-build and environmental sustainability as key aspects of the UK National Planning Policy Framework and the Localism Act. Our response is detailed here.
• publishing an article on the aims and objectives of the project in the April 2013 edition of the Charlbury Chronicle, and gaining some good feedback and expressions of interest locally.
• having an information stand at the Community Led Plan public meeting in July 2013 in the Memorial Hall
• pursuing options over the Forest Road site with Cornbury Park; contributing towards the Community Led Plan; keeping a conversation going with Sovereign Housing as an affordable housing partner; opened up the core management group to new local families

The councillors were informed that the project has so far undertaken three years’ work towards its aims and objectives, that we are an organised community group with a limited company structure and directors. 

Whilst the project has shifted its emphasis slightly over that period from an interest in co-housing towards self-build, it remains committed to bringing a more cooperative style to any new housing development in which we are involved.

Councillors were also informed that self-build is now a recognised means of solving some sections of the housing requirement, particularly in rural areas. This was recognised in the current West Oxfordshire Local Development Framework.

An example of the project's commitment to environmental issues relating to development can be found in the groups proposals for the Forest Road site in Charlbury, in which we are in negotiation with Cornbury Park regarding feasibility. On this site we are interested in:

• harvesting natural spring water which rises in the copse above the field. It was estimated in the summer of 2012 as providing 40-50 litres/minute or 50-60,000 litres/day.
• Towards the bottom of the site we would like to extend the current pond to offset the increased run-off of water from construction and housing (important following the recent floods) as well as a reed-bed for waste management. Despite being next to the sewage works, we won’t need it!
• We are also discussing with Cornbury the potential of a combined heat and power unit for the whole site using wood by-products from the Estate.

One of the key points made to the councillors was 'who is Beacon Project for?' The points made here were that:

• Currently several Charlbury families make the core, several of who have rented in Charlbury for more than 5 years because they cannot afford appropriate family sized homes. We all have children in the primary and secondary schools and between us make a big contribution to local societies and the community in general. 
• We are a group from the (politician’s phrase) squeezed middle – an intermediate group who cannot afford to buy suitable housing in Charlbury, but who can afford private sector rents. We are a growing group nationally.

Why is the project important?

• If housing development is to take place in Charlbury at all (and it should if we are to remain vibrant), then it is better that we empower people who already contribute to the community to build houses so that they can stay here, rather than being forced to move out. Any other development of family homes in Charlbury will be sold at the rapidly inflating prices that we see today and not contribute to keeping a diverse socio-economic mix in the town.
• New housing here should reflect the special interest in environmental sustainability that Charlbury is known for, rather than being imposed on the town by developers who have no interest in the character of the town, beyond a superficial stereotype of what colour stone to use.
• We feel that a creative and environmental approach to local housing like the scheme we have developed will enable us to develop a Neighbourhood Plan that doesn’t just say where new housing might go, but also says what it should feel like as an extension of our current community, and how it will affect our local environment.

Charlbury Community-Led Plan (CLP) - public meeting 20 July 2013

Charlbury Community Led Plan on charlbury.info

Earlier this year Charlbury Town Council decided to develop a Community-Led Plan in order "for the community to develop a sound understanding of local aspiration and need" in terms of future development. The Town Council's February announcement about this makes it clear that this Plan should be distinguished from what is termed a "Neighbourhood Plan" under the Localism Act 2012, which outlines specific planning policies for the area and which would require a full referendum of the community. 

We will be presenting the aims of the Beacon Project at the first CLP public meeting organised by the Advisory Group at the Memorial Hall on Saturday 20 July 2013, 9-2pm. The Group are asking community members to list 3 things that they like about the town, and 3 things the town might need over the next 5-15 years. Ideas can be filled in on the postcard sent to residents last week, online, or via e-mail plan@charlbury.info.

Community Housing Project

Published in the Charlbury Chronicle April 2013

Living in Charlbury, any resident might have a view on what constitutes a strong balanced community. Here we do appear to have good social, sporting, cultural and environmental facilities and in most aspects, the community is strong and cohesive. However, very few residents can be unaware of the current debate about affordable rural housing. The 2006 Charlbury housing needs survey indicated that there was a demand for 61 new households.  At present this provision is being met by 15 new social houses in Little Lees, and other schemes are in the discussion stage. Charlbury Town Council estimate however, that the figure of 61 probably still represents the demand level. There can be little doubt that a healthy community requires balance in its constituent parts.

Although there is a formal definition in planning legislation for affordable housing, there is another intermediate category which includes families who, under pre-financial crisis circumstances, would have been able to afford to buy into the housing market. This category often represent the groups that make the rural economy function and includes amongst  readers of the Charlbury Chronicle; nurses, teachers, electricians, builders, retired people and some professionals. This group has no formal recognition in housing need terms and must compete on the open market for either renting or buying properties.

This problem is nationwide of course and one solution developed elsewhere has been to form co-housing groups whereby like-minded people get together and form communities either to purchase a large property which is subdivided or to build a number of homes as a group. Co-housing usually adheres to strong environmental and sustainable agendas. Co-housing and community groups are recognised elsewhere and develop their own sustainable solutions to housing needs, often with the cooperation of their local authority.

Huge changes in legislation from the Big Society and including the National Planning Policy Framework, support for the preparation of local plans and Community Right to Build have been brought into law in the last year or so, most of which are intended to promote locally-driven development. Sustainability is a key driver and although over-used as a term, it not only means designing well-insulated houses in the right location employing appropriate materials but also should mean making sure that communities are well-balanced and thriving.

The current West Oxfordshire District Council Draft Local Plan published at the end of 2012 acknowledges the need for some 350 additional houses in the Charlbury/Burford Area and recognises that the houses must be provided where the needs are. The draft also makes provision for meeting community priorities, recognises that self-build will be one means of delivery and states that there should be a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The Beacon Project Charlbury was formed and registered as a not-for -profit company in 2011 with the aim of promoting a community housing project , utilising local skills through a self-build programme which we argue is a viable option. We also believe that where communities help themselves there is a good chance of retaining and enhancing community values through shared services and self-management. The idea is not new but has been practised widely since the co-housing movement started in Denmark in the 1970s. 

The Beacon Project has been active in pursuing several potential sites for a community housing scheme (see our blog link) and is still investigating a number of sites including the Forest Road land adjacent to the small industrial estate on the west side of the station. It has to be noted that, although the District Council has stated an ambitious housing target, there has to be an increase in the current very restrictive release of land with suitable planning consent if these targets are to be met. 

We have therefore joined the Charlbury Town Council in their current initiative to prepare a Community Led Plan in which it is hoped there will be recognition of the needs of this key category which will lead to a suitable site being supported. We aim to develop some houses to Passive House standard which is the highest environmental level in Europe and have an established relationship with Sovereign Housing as well as a strong community agenda.

Given the recent changes in legislation and the economic climate in which we now all live, if the objectives outlined above cannot be achieved in a dynamic small town like Charlbury, one would assume that there is probably little chance of success elsewhere. This is not the case however, as up to 40 self-build and co-housing schemes are completed, underway or under consideration in other parts of this country. They are also being actively supported by several local authorities including Cambridge City Council.

Town Council presentation

Members of the Beacon Project Charlbury will be presenting the project's outline plans to the newly-elected Charlbury Town Council at its first meeting on Monday 25 June 2012.

It is the first stage of community consultation about the project, and the best place to start.

The council members have all been sent an outline document relating to the Beacon Project's proposals for a site on the edge of Charlbury, which is owned by the Cornbury Estate.

If the Town Council are broadly supportive of the project's proposals then the second stage of community consultation about the project's aims and objectives will begin in earnest, and details will be posted on this blog.