Mount Owen Road - 190 houses

Anwyl Land via Hourigan Planning have put in a pre-application for 190 houses. They did carry out a public consultation in the village, but many may have missed this.

The SPB has lodged an objection. We feel this would be a massive estate, bigger than either of the current ones on Mount Owen Road and in effect would connect up with them. In our view, this threatens the very nature of Bampton as a small village.

The Developers have now lodged a formal application on the WODC website, ref: 26/01731/OUT

You can see the details via this link

https://publicaccess.westoxon.gov.uk/online-applications/

Then enter the refererence: 26/01731/OUT

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR OBJECTION IN FULL

It is very important that as many people object as possible. This can be via the link above, or you can email the Planning Office directly:

James Nelson:  james.nelson@westoxon.gov.uk

PLEASE SEND YOUR OBJECTIONS TO BOTH THE PARISH COUNCIL:

BY AUGUST 18 2026

clerk@bamptonoxon-parishcouncil.gov.uk

AND WODC:

BY AUGUST 28th 2026

james.nelson@westoxon.gov.uk

WHAT TO SAY

It is important that objection letters are personal, using your own experience of the village, but here are some points you might wish to include:

1. The development is too large for Bampton

The application is for up to 190 houses on open countryside to the north of the village.

Bampton has already absorbed a recent development of around 160 houses immediately to the south of this site.

The emerging Local Plan proposes up to 150 additional houses to the east of Bampton. This application is for another 190 houses in a different location. Just because the Plan has not yet been adopted, it should not be ignored

Bampton needs planned and proportionate growth, rather than successive large developments.

2. Sewage and drainage capacity has not been established

The applicant's own documents say that the Thames Water network may require upgrading and that sufficient capacity has not yet been confirmed.

Parts of the site are also identified as being at high risk of surface-water flooding.

The proposed drainage system would depend partly on attenuation basins and pumping.

Planning permission should not be granted until it has been demonstrated that the sewage and drainage systems can safely cope with another 190 homes.

3. Water supply is uncertain

The applicant's Utility Report says that the proposed water connection currently has capacity for only the first 49 homes, with reinforcement potentially required for the remainder.

4. Traffic and road safety

The main entrance would be from Mount Owen Road.

The applicant's survey recorded traffic speeds of around 41 mph at the proposed entrance.

Mount Owen Road alongside the site currently has no pavement or street lighting. The development would require road widening, a new pavement and long visibility splays.

The development is expected to generate approximately 117 vehicle movements during the morning peak hour and 110 during the evening peak hour.

5. Limited public transport

The nearest bus stops are up to around 800 metres from the centre of the development.

The No. 19 bus is generally only hourly, has no Sunday service and has limited evening services.

Many new residents are therefore likely to depend on cars for work, secondary school, hospital appointments and major shopping.

6. Bampton Surgery is already under pressure

The NHS has formally stated that Bampton Surgery does not have sufficient clinical capacity to accommodate the extra patients from this development.

The surgery already has substantially less clinical space than the NHS calculates it requires.

A financial contribution from the developer does not automatically provide additional doctors, nurses or appointments.

7. Pressure on Bampton Primary School

The development of 190 homes would inevitably create additional demand for primary-school places. Bampton Primary School is immediately beside the proposed development, but the applicant has not demonstrated in the documents reviewed that sufficient school capacity exists to accommodate the additional children.

There is also a contradiction in the applicant's own documents about access to the school. One report suggests the school is about 400 metres from the centre of the development, while another says there is no direct route and gives a walking distance of up to 1,200 metres.

The Council should establish that sufficient school places are available and that a safe, permanent walking route to the school can actually be provided before permission is granted.

8. Loss of countryside and landscape

The development would extend Bampton considerably further north into open countryside.

Even the applicant's own Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment identifies significant adverse landscape effects, particularly during the early years.

New planting may eventually soften the appearance of the development, but it cannot replace the countryside that has been built on.

9. Wildlife and hedgerows

There are 14 native hedgerows on the site, several associated with ditches.

The applicant acknowledges that some could qualify as legally “important” hedgerows, but this has not yet been established.

The claimed Biodiversity Net Gain for hedgerows is only around 11.1%, only slightly above the statutory 10% requirement.

10. Loss of good agricultural land

The applicant identifies 5.7 hectares of Grade 3a agricultural land on the site.

Grade 3a is classed as “best and most versatile” agricultural land. Once it has been developed for housing, it is permanently lost.