Policies

Policies against light pollution:

Policy CE5 ‘Dark Skies’ of the Cotswolds Conservation Board Management Plan states:

1. ‘Proposals that are likely to impact on the dark skies of the Cotswolds AONB should have regard to these dark skies, by seeking to (i) avoid and (ii) minimise light pollution’.
2. 'Measures should be taken to increase the area of dark skies in the Cotswolds AONB by (i) removing and (ii) reducing existing sources of light pollution’.
- N.B. A further consideration is that there are proposals underway to award some areas of the Cotswolds AONB formal Dark Sky designation.

Policy EH2 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘Proposed development should avoid causing pollution, especially noise and light, which has an adverse impact upon landscape character and should incorporate measures to maintain or improve the existing level of tranquillity and dark-sky quality, reversing existing pollution where possible’.

Policy EH8 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘The installation of external lighting and lighting proposals for new buildings, particularly those in remote rural locations, will only be permitted where: •
- the means of lighting is appropriate, unobtrusively sited and would not result in excessive levels of light; •
- the proposal would not have a detrimental effect on local amenity, character of a settlement or wider countryside, intrinsically dark landscapes or nature conservation’.
- Para. 8.72 also states: ‘These needs for lighting should be balanced, particularly in rural areas, against any adverse impact lights might have on the visual character of the area, the ‘night sky’, nature conservation or the reasonable living conditions of local residents’.

Policies protecting the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty:

Policy EH1 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘In determining development proposals within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and proposals which would affect its setting, great weight will be given to conserving and enhancing the area’s natural beauty, landscape and countryside, including its wildlife and heritage. This will include consideration of any harm to the contribution that the settlement makes to the scenic beauty of the AONB’.

Policy CE5 ‘Dark Skies’ of the Cotswolds Conservation Board Management Plan states:

1. ‘Proposals that are likely to impact on the dark skies of the Cotswolds AONB should have regard to these dark skies, by seeking to (i) avoid and (ii) minimise light pollution’.
2. 'Measures should be taken to increase the area of dark skies in the Cotswolds AONB by (i) removing and (ii) reducing existing sources of light pollution’.

Policies protecting the Conservation Area of Shipton under Wychwood:

Policy EH10 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘Proposals for development in a Conservation Area or affecting the setting of a Conservation Area will be permitted where it can be shown to conserve or enhance the special interest, character, appearance and setting, specifically provided that: •
- the location, form, scale, massing, density, height, layout, landscaping, use, alignment and external appearance of the development conserves or enhances the special historic or architectural interest, character and appearance of the Conservation Area
- the development conserves or enhances the setting of the Conservation Area and is not detrimental to views within, into or out of the Area’.

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) Act 1990. Section 72 (1) states:

‘with respect to any buildings or other land in a conservation area, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area’.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Section 16: Preserving and enhancing the historic environment.

Policies protecting wildlife and the environment:

Policy EH1 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘In determining development proposals within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and proposals which would affect its setting, great weight will be given to conserving and enhancing the area’s natural beauty, landscape and countryside, including its wildlife and heritage. This will include consideration of any harm to the contribution that the settlement makes to the scenic beauty of the AONB’.

Policy EH3 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘The biodiversity of West Oxfordshire shall be protected and enhanced to achieve an overall net gain in biodiversity and minimise impacts on geodiversity’.

Policy EH4 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘New development should demonstrate how lighting will not adversely impact on green infrastructure that functions as nocturnal wildlife movement and foraging corridors’.

Policies protecting Visual Amenity and Residential Amenity:

Policy EH8 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘The installation of external lighting and lighting proposals for new buildings, particularly those in remote rural locations, will only be permitted where:
- the means of lighting is appropriate, unobtrusively sited and would not result in excessive levels of light
- the proposal would not have a detrimental effect on local amenity, character of a settlement or wider countryside, intrinsically dark landscapes or nature conservation’.
Para. 8.72 also states: ‘These needs for lighting should be balanced, particularly in rural areas, against any adverse impact lights might have on the visual character of the area, the ‘night sky’, nature conservation or the reasonable living conditions of local residents’.

Policy OS2 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘that all development should be of a proportionate and appropriate scale to its context, having regard to the potential cumulative impact of development in the locality and be compatible with adjoining uses and not have a harmful impact on the amenity of existing occupants’.

Policy OS4 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2031) states:

‘that development should not harm the use or enjoyment of land and buildings nearby, including living conditions in residential properties’.