BASE HEADER

Yes

ID sylw: 107288

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Cotswolds National Landscape Board

Summary of Tysoe sites
At Tysoe, there are eight sites that remain in consideration. Of these (Ref ID 544), one overlaps with the CNL boundary and seven are located in the setting of the CNL.
In addition, one site (RefID 323) was sifted out because it was located entirely within the CNL. As outlined above, the Board does not agree with the principle of ruling out sites on the basis of being located in the CNL. As such, we have reviewed this site to see if it still merits further consideration, as outlined below.
RefID24: Land off Meadow Lane (additional information)
The Ref ID24 site covers part of the larger RefID 35 site.
This site is located approximately 100m from the boundary of the CNL but is separated from the CNL by the existing built development of Middle Tysoe.
The site extends northwards beyond the existing built development (and settlement boundary) of Middle Tysoe by approximately 75m. This wouldn’t be a significant addition to the total length of built development in Middle / Upper Tysoe, which currently extends approximately 1,300m from south to north. However, it would reduce the gap between built development in Middle Tysoe and Lower Tysoe by approximately 25% (the current gap being approximately 300m). This could potentially contribute to a sense of coalescence between the two.
Development in the western end of the site would also extend built development further west than on neighbouring land to the south, which could potentially create a perception of intruding into the open landscape to the west.
Overall, allocating this site could potentially result in some minor adverse effects for visual receptors in the CNL. However, these effects could be reduced by ensuring that development does not extend:
• further north than the current settlement boundary (unless the adjacent site, RefID 296, is allocated / developed first);
• further west than the western boundary of the school playing field to the south.
REfID35: Land to the rear of Meadow Lane, Tysoe (additional information)
The RefID 35 site includes the land that is in the RefID 24 site and some additional land.
This site is a larger version of site RefID 24. Similar considerations apply for both sites. However, this site is considerably larger than RefID 24, resulting in a larger quantum of housing, and extends further west, resulting in a more significant intrusion into the open countryside. Developing up to the north-western corner would bring the built development of Middle Tysoe within approximately 220m of built development at Lower Tysoe.
Development on this site could potentially impinge on two of the ‘valued views’ identified in the Tysoe Neighbourhood Plan, specifically View 4 (From Lower Tysoe towards Middle Tysoe) and View 5 (From the footpath south of Lower Tysoe towards Middle Tysoe). This would be to a greater degree than for RefID 24.
RefID 296: Land to the North of Lower Grounds, Middle Tysoe (additional information)
This site is located adjacent to the CNL boundary, on the opposite side of Tysoe Road.
The site extends northwards beyond the existing built development (and settlement boundary) of Middle Tysoe by approximately 75m. This wouldn’t be a significant addition to the total length of built development in Middle / Upper Tysoe, which currently extends approximately 1,300m from south to north. However, it would reduce the gap between built development in Middle Tysoe and Lower Tysoe by approximately 25% (the current gap being approximately 300m). This could potentially contribute to a sense of coalescence between the two, for example when viewed from the Centenary Way, within the CNL.
Having said that, the hedge along the northern boundary of the site (which also extends further westwards) could provide a robust and definitive limit of development for Middle / Upper Tysoe, with a clear gap still being maintained between the village and the hamlet.
RefID 397: South of Oxhill Road, Tysoe (additional information)
This site is located approximately 300m of the CNL boundary to the south and approximately 380m to the south.
71
Development on this site is likely to have an adverse impact on views from the Public Right of Way (PROW) footpaths in the vicinity of Windmill Hill. From these viewpoints, the development on the site would be seen to protrude to the side of the existing development at Middle / Upper Tysoe rather than being seen in the foreground or background of this existing development. As such, it would be relatively prominent.
Development on the site would adversely affect the setting of Windmill Hill Windmill, which is a Grade II listed building. In views from Windmill Hill, the development would be seen behind Tysoe Manor (Grade II* listed building), replacing the currently undeveloped backdrop. As such it would also adversely affect the setting of Tysoe Manor, both in terms of its proximity and in terms of the views of Tysoe Manor from Windmill Hill.
The higher elevations of Windmill Hill lie within Landscape Character Type (LCT) 6 - Ironstone Hills and Valleys. One of the key features / characteristics of LCT 6 is the dramatic sweeping views over wide areas of the landscape. Development on this site would adversely affect this key feature / characteristic.
Development on the site would also be visible from the PROW footpath, to the south east of Upper Tysoe, on the Cotswold escarpment and from the road up the escarpment to Tysoe Hill. Views from the escarpment are one of the ‘special qualities’ of the CNL and one of the key features / characteristics of LCT 2 (Escarpment).
RefID 544: Lower Tysoe - West, East & North (additional information)
RefID 544 appears to be the same as RefID 571, except that RefID 571 doesn’t include the section of RefID 544 that is located within the CNL.
This site consists of several parcels of land, both within the CNL and within its setting, that are not physically connected. The part of the site that is located within the CNL would be subject to additional policy considerations, such as whether development there would constitute major development, in the context of paragraph 190 of the NPPF.
Based on these points, it is not clear why this site has been assessed, in the HELAA, as one unit. It would have made more sense to assess the section within the CNL as a separate site. In that scenario, based on the HELAA methodology, all of the western part of the site would have been sifted out, with only the eastern part of the site remaining for further consideration.
Lower Tysoe East (section within CNL)
Lower Tysoe East is located to the east of the hamlet of Lower Tysoe. Lower Tysoe doesn’t have a defined settlement boundary, presumably because it is too small, whereas Middle / Upper Tysoe does. The only built development within Lower Tysoe East is Hopkins Farm, which is on the eastern edge of the hamlet of Lower Tysoe.
The proposed scale of development, both in terms of area (ha) and potential number of dwellings and would be completely inappropriate in the CNL. The scale of the Lower Tysoe East section would also be completely disproportionate in relation to the adjacent hamlet of Lower Tysoe, which lies outside the CNL, and to the amount of housing in Tysoe Parish as a whole.
Nearly all of the existing built development at Tysoe is located outside the CNL and only a tiny section of the settlement boundary extends into the CNL. As such, housing needs associated with Tysoe arise outside the CNL boundary. Government guidance makes it clear that National Landscapes ‘are unlikely to be suitable areas for accommodating unmet needs from adjoining (non-designated) areas’.162 In other words, the CNL should not be expected to accommodate housing needs relating to Tysoe given that these needs arise outside of the CNL.
Development in the CNL section would have a significant adverse effect on:
• views from the public rights of way (PROW) that cross the CNL section of the site, including the Centenary Way;
• westward looking views from the more elevated PROW on the escarpment, to the east of the site, including the Centenary Way;
• eastward looking views, towards the escarpment from Tysoe Road and from the PROW in the vicinity of Lower Tysoe.
The CNL section would mainly overlap with Landscape Character Type (LCT) 19 (Unwooded Vale), specifically Landscape Character Area 19E (Unwooded Vale - Vale of Feldon Fringe).163 The eastern fringe of the site, approximately above the 140m contour line, would overlap with LCT 2 (Escarpment), specifically Landscape Character Area 2G (Escarpment - Edge Hill).164 The allocation would also come within approximately 200m of LCT 7 (High Wold).165
The CNL Landscape Strategy & Guidelines for LCT 19 states that the Unwooded Vale is a sparsely settled and deeply rural landscape type, is highly sensitive to change and is not currently associated with development. It adds that Vale landscapes bordering upland areas with wide vantage points, such as the escarpment, are particularly sensitive to the effects of large scale, built development.166 Allocating the CNL section of this site would conflict with this landscape character and this landscape sensitivity.
The Cotswold escarpment, including views from and to it, is one of the ‘special qualities’ of the CNL. The dramatic panoramic views that are experienced from the escarpment are also one of the key features / characteristics of LCT 2 (Escarpment). Allocating CNL section of the site would affect these views. It would also directly affect the escarpment if development extended into LCT 2.
LCT 7 (High Wold) lies approximately 200m east of the eastern boundary of the CNL section. The open, panoramic views that are experienced on the High Wold are one of the ‘special qualities’ of the CNL. However, views from the High Wold, towards the site, are likely to be restricted by the area of woodland that runs along the upper slopes of the escarpment.
Lower Tysoe West & North (in setting of CNL)
As indicated above, the section of RefID 544 that lies outside of the CNL (i.e. Lower Tysoe West & North) is the same as the whole of RefID 571. This section includes three contiguous parcels of land to the north of the hamlet of Lower Tysoe (Lower Tysoe North) and a separate parcel of land to the west of Middle Tysoe (Lower Tysoe West), both of which come within approximately 280m of the CNL boundary.
Allocating the parcels of land north of Lower Tysoe would extend built development up to 2km northwards from the edge of existing built development at Lower Tysoe, whereas built development at Lower Tysoe currently only extends approximately 500m south to north and approximately 800m west to east. Lower Tysoe is mainly orientated in a west-east direction, whereas development on these parcels of land would be orientated in a south-north direction (i.e. perpendicular to the existing settlement pattern).
The large parcel of land to the west of Middle Tysoe would extend built development up to 1.5km north-west of the edge of built development at Middle Tysoe, whereas built development at Middle Tysoe currently only extends approximately 300m in a south-east to north-west direction. Middle Tysoe is mainly orientated in a south-west to north-east direction whereas development on this parcel of land would be orientated in a south-east to north-west direction (i.e. perpendicular to the existing settlement pattern).
The extent to which this section of the site would be completely disproportionate to the existing settlements of Middle / Upper Tysoe and Lower Tysoe and the extent to which it would deviate from the existing settlement pattern would be clearly visible from the CNL. This would include views from PROW on the Cotswold escarpment, including the Centenary Way. Views from the escarpment are one of the ‘special qualities’ of the CNL. Allocating this site would have a significant adverse effect on these views and on this special quality.
Total site
In addition to the impacts outlined above, allocating this site, both in its entirety and in its separate sections, would significantly increase the number of traffic movements generated in Tysoe parish. Given that Lower, Middle and Upper Tysoe are located on a minor road, which is unlikely to experience a significant amount of through traffic, it is highly likely that the allocation would significantly increase traffic movements on local roads within - and along the boundary of - the CNL. As outlined in the Board’s Tranquillity Position Statement, an increase of 10% or more should be considered significant and is likely have a significant adverse effect on the tranquillity of the CNL in this locality. This tranquillity is one of the ‘special qualities’ of the CNL.167
Development of this scale could also have a significant adverse effect on the dark skies of the CNL, which are one of the CNL’s ‘special qualities’. The map below shows that Tysoe is already affected by light pollution to some degree, with the effects of this light pollution extending into the CNL. Allowing up to a seven-fold increase in the number of dwellings at Tysoe would make this light pollution much worse. Recommendations
We recommend that the allocation, as currently proposed, should not be taken forward for further consideration. This applies to the site both in its entirety and in the context of the separate sections within it.
RefID 571: Tysoe North - Herberts Farm - Land to the north of Middle Tysoe (additional information)
This appears to be the same as RefID 544, except that RefID 571 doesn’t include the section of RefID 544 that is located within the CNL.
Please refer to our comments on site RefID 544, above.
RefID 830: Herbert’s Farm, Saddledon Street, Tysoe (additional information)
This site is located within the settlement boundary of Upper / Middle Tysoe. Most of the site is already identified as a strategic reserve site in the Tysoe Neighbourhood Plan, with potential for future residential development of up to 16 houses.168 Presumably, this fact will be referenced, in some way, in the Local Plan.
RefID 865: Land to the West of Sandpits Road (additional information)
This site is located within the settlement boundary of Upper / Middle Tysoe. The site is already allocated in the Tysoe Neighbourhood Plan, with potential for future residential development of up to 16 houses.169 Presumably, this fact will be referenced, in some way, in the Local Plan.
168 Tysoe
RefID 323: Land to South of Middleton Close, Upper Tysoe (additional information)
This site is located entirely within the CNL. All of the existing built development at Middle / Upper Tysoe is located outside the CNL and only a tiny section of the settlement boundary extends into the CNL. As such, housing needs associated with Tysoe arise outside the settlement boundary. Government guidance makes it clear that National Landscapes ‘are unlikely to be suitable areas for accommodating unmet needs from adjoining (non-designated) areas’.170 In other words, the CNL should not be expected to accommodate housing needs relating to Middle / Upper Tysoe given that these needs arise outside of the CNL.
Extending development, eastwards, into the CNL would not reflect the (historic) settlement character and form.
Conclusions
We recommend that:
• RefID 865 should be retained as an allocated site in the Tysoe Neighbourhood Plan - this should be referred to in the Local Plan in some way;171 we recommend that the Neighbourhood Plan figure of 13 dwellings should be used (rather than the indicative capacity of 19 dwellings).
• Ref ID 830 should be retained as a strategic reserve site in the Tysoe Neighbourhood Plan - this should be referred to in the Local Plan in some way; we recommend that the Neighbourhood Plan figure of 16 dwellings should be used (rather than the indicative capacity of 32 dwellings).
In addition to these two sites, the Neighbourhood Plan allocates an additional site for two dwellings. So, in total, the Neighbourhood Plan already makes provision for 31 dwellings. This represents a 6% increase in the number of dwellings in Tysoe parish, compared to the 2021 census baseline. This already slightly exceeds the Board’s 5% ‘rule of thumb’ threshold for proportionality. As such, we recommend that now additional housing should be allocated. However, we acknowledge that the Neighbourhood Plan only runs to 2031, whereas the Local Plan runs to 2050. We also acknowledge that Tysoe is a Category 2 Local Service Village. Therefore, if there were circumstances that merited a higher level of housing provision, the following sites potentially merit further consideration:
• RefID 296.
• RefID 24 (subject to the mitigation measures that we have recommended).
All of the other Tysoe sites should be sifted out and not given further consideration.