Cherwell District Council last night (Jun 21) approved conversion of an office/mess room and store  into essential agricultural worker’s dwelling.

In a split 8:5 vote decision Cherwell councillors last night approved the above application.  This means the nursery will be enabled to have someone on-site at most times adding to its security and allowing a quick-response to any unexpected damaging weather.

The council officers were not convinced the quality of the accommodation that would result from the conversion would meet present-day standards and were also unconvinced of the need for a permanent on-site worker.  Some councillors were concerned about this being siezed upon by other developers as a precedent for ongoing infill of the gap between Ells Lane  and the estates currently marching along the A361 plugging the gap between Bloxham and Banbury.    The fact that it will be built with the condition that it is accommodation for an essential agricultural (horticultural) worker should go some way to reducing the weight of any precedent argument.

Time will tell!