The Committee considered an application (21/03057/FUL) for the construction of a new humanities building in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter to include: academic faculty space; a concert hall; a theatre; experimental performance lab; lecture hall; public engagement and outreach facilities; and new public realm and landscape space with associated access, servicing route, disabled parking facility and covered and open cycle spaces.   The building would be publicly accessible: the public spaces would be located on the ground and lower floors, with the upper floors housing the faculties and academic spaces. 

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and made the following verbal updates:

·             Oxfordshire County Council had requested a number of contributions for highway improvements around the site in order to mitigate the pedestrian impact of the development.  Discussions between the applicant and the County Council regarding these contributions were ongoing.  It was proposed to update the recommendation shown in the report to include agreement to delegate to the Head of Planning Services authority to finalise, agree and secure additional contributions for highway improvements around the site through either S106 or a condition.

·             A condition relating to drainage, which was required by the County Council, had been omitted from the report and required inclusion as an additional condition.

In presenting the report the Planning Officer informed the Committee that a small area of the site was located in the North Oxford Conservation Area.  The remainder of the site was bounded by three other conservation areas: Walton Manor, Jericho and Central.  Additionally, there were a number of listed buildings in close proximity: most notably, Observatory Tower and St Paul’s Church (Freuds).  Great weight had been given to preserving these heritage assets when determining the application.

With a total height of approximately 22.5 metres to the top of the dome, the building would be visible from Castle Mound, St Mary’s Tower and Raleigh Park.  This had been considered by officers as set out in the report.  Whilst some harm had been identified, the impact of the development on the skyline was considered to result in a moderate level of less than substantial harm.  Historic England had raised no objection to the application, and it was considered that the moderate level of less than substantial harm caused by the development would be outweighed by the public benefits as described in the report.  The site was an allocation site, and the proposal was considered to comply with the requirements of the allocation as well as the other policies of the Oxford Local Plan and be acceptable in terms of principle, design, impact on neighbouring amenities, highways and heritage issues.

Reverend Dr William Whyte, on behalf of the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

In discussion, Committee Members sought clarification on: the visual impact of the plant and plant housing, in particular from Observatory Tower; the retention of the existing route from Woodstock Road past the Andrew Wiles Building to Walton Street as a public pedestrian and cycle right of way; capacity for foul water and sewerage discharge; the scope for improvements to the setting of Freuds at the eastern end; the construction traffic management plan, including spoil removal arrangements and routing of heavy vehicles given the high cycle use in the area; and measures to prevent service access routes being obstructed by parking.  In relation to the construction traffic management plan it was noted that details could not be known until the contractor had been appointed, but would require the agreement of the County Council.  The landscaping design would do much to minimise the potential for obstruction caused by ad-hoc parking; vehicular access would also be controlled providing further mitigation.

A Committee Member also drew attention to the fact that there was a relatively well-used pedestrian and cycle route along the southern edge of the site, between the Somerville Building and the application site, which was the only route to a local Post Office for residents in Jericho.  It was suggested that an informative be added recommending that access to this route be retained during the construction period.

In discussion it was noted that overall the proposal had been very positively received.  It was considered that it would represent a unique opportunity to develop an important long term asset which was well designed and which would greatly benefit the local community, improve the cultural offer, offer new opportunities in particular for young people, and encourage new and existing talent to the City.

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

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

The Oxford City Planning Committee resolved to:

1.      approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 13 of the report and the addition of a drainage condition and a condition or S106 to secure additional contributions for highways improvements required by the County Council and an informative regarding the retention of the pedestrian and cycle route along the southern edge of the site between the Somerville Building and the application site during construction and grant planning permission subject to:

·           the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section 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

2.       delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to finalise, agree and secure additional contributions for highway improvements around the site through either S106 or a condition; and

3.       delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

·        finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

·        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 Services considers reasonably necessary; and

·        complete the section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.