South Oxfordshire District Council have granted planning permission for six new dwellings at Cane End, near Reading, within the Chilterns AONB. The existing building on the site was once the Palm Tree restaurant, but the site has been vacant in recent years. CSA worked with the wider design team on behalf of JPP Land Ltd to ensure a successful design proposal was put forward.
CSA produced the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) that was submitted with the application. The LVIA found that the site in its current form was not reflective of the higher landscape quality of the surroundings, and that the proposed development would enhance the site’s landscape character. CSA also designed the landscape scheme around the new homes, which reflects the verdant surroundings of the wider AONB. Changes were made to the design during the application process following comments from the Council’s Urban Design Officer to ensure a scheme which respected the surrounding architectural style.
The Council acknowledged that the proposal broadly complied with the Development Plan policies, and that the design and layout of the scheme was appropriate within the landscape setting of the Chilterns AONB.