Mark Doodes Planning were instructed to submit a full planning application for works at a home in South Leigh Oxfordshire. The application proposed for the demolition of existing garages on the site and the erection of 2 ancillary outbuildings to accommodate additional bedrooms and a games room.

The site itself sits in idyllic countryside between South Leigh and Witney.  For planning purposes, the site is outside of the Green Belt and Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and despite being 400 years old is not listed.
A key part of the approach was to ensure the heritage element of the site was considered. The property had been through numerous alterations over its long history, some in-keeping with its original style and some not. The current planning application had heritage and aesthetic impact at its core and sought to ensure the new buildings complemented the house. Experts from numerous fields were instructed, including a Heritage expert, to guarantee the plans were appropriate and enhancing.

The plans themselves involved the demolition of existing garages, to the west of the property and to replace them with 2 buildings. One of the buildings would be used for leisure and providing additional accommodation and the other an improved garage building. The materials proposed are harmonious with the existing building and the surrounding countryside setting and additional work is planned to ensure the landscaping is improved, which will have an overall benefit on the view of the property from the road and benefit the environment providing more habitats and greenspace.

The plans were submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council in March 2020 and MDP continue to monitor this project as it moves through the planning system.