Site address:             Land Adjacent to 2, Rymers Lane, Oxford, OX4 3LA              

Proposal:                   Development comprising a purpose built student accommodation facility of 39 study bedrooms with ancillary facilities for use during academic term time and vacation periods.               

Recommendation:

The East Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

(a) Approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of this report and grant planning permission subject to:

1.    The satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in this report; and

(b) Agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to:

1.    Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary;

2.    Finalise the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in this report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in this report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary; and

3.    Complete the section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

The Committee considered an application (17/00963/FUL) for planning permission for a purpose built student accommodation facility of 39 study bedrooms with ancillary facilities for use during academic term time and vacation periods.

The Planning Officer presented the report and reminded the Committee that they had granted outline planning permission for an identical scheme in May 2017.

The Committee asked questions of the officers about the objections raised by Oxfordshire County Council Highways.  The officers referred the Committee to paragraphs 10.30 – 10.32 of the report.  They explained that the ‘car-free’ nature of student accommodation and the method for controlling this through tenancy agreements is a long-standing development plan policy for student accommodation, which has been accepted by Inspectors, and implemented across the city.  The County Council has provided no evidence to corroborate their assertions as to the enforcement of these tenancy agreements.   As such officers consider that it would be unreasonable to seek additional controls beyond those set out within the adopted development plan policies for student accommodation.

Although the County Council have made a request for a financial contribution towards the implementation of a CPZ, this cannot be secured as part of this planning permission because the mechanism for raising such funds is through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).  It would be a matter for the applicant to take up directly with the Highways Authority as to whether they are prepared to provide a financial contribution through a S278 agreement outside of the CIL regime but planning permission could not be withheld on that basis.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it.

On being put to the vote the Committee agreed with the officer recommendation.

Recommendation:

The East Area Planning Committee resolved to:

(a) Approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of this report and grant planning permission subject to:

1.    The satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in this report; and

(b) Agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to:

1.    Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary;

2.    Finalise the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in this report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in this report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary; and

3.    Complete the section 106 legal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32