Issue - meetings

Issue - meetings

20/01276/FUL: Land At Jericho Canal Side And Community Centre, 33A Canal Street, Oxford, OX2 6BX

 

 

Meeting: 23/03/2022 - Planning - Oxford City Planning Committee (Item 82)

82 20/01276/FUL: Land At Jericho Canal Side And Community Centre, 33A Canal Street, Oxford, OX2 6BX pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Site Address:

Land At Jericho, Canal Side, And Community Centre 33A Canal Street, Oxford

Proposal:

Demolition of existing structures and garages, redevelopment to provide mixed residential, community centre and boatyard uses, including associated works for the provision of new public realm, ramped access to the Church and works to the Oxford Canal

Reason at Committee:

The proposal is a major development

Recommendation:

The Oxford City Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.             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:

·       receipt of further updated bat surveys and details of mitigation and enhancement measures as necessary;

·       the satisfactory completion of a unilateral undertaking and 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.             agree to 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 unilateral undertaking and section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Diggins withdrew from the committee table whilst this application was considered.

The Committee considered an application 20/01276/FUL for the demolition of existing structures and garages, redevelopment to provide mixed residential, community centre and boatyard uses, including associated works for the provision of new public realm, ramped access to the Church and works to the Oxford Canal.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation on both the planning application and the associated listed building application and provided the following updates:

·       The officer’s report contained some minor typographical errors – notably ‘pizza’ for ‘piazza’ and ‘comprise’ instead of ‘compromise’ at paragraphs 10.73 and 10.79.

 

·       Some relevant planning history had been omitted; the planning history which was set out in the associated Listed Building Consent report also applied to the full application.  However, both planning histories had omitted a previous outline approval in 2009 for a community centre in the same location which had been granted in 2010.

 

·       The Highways Authority had removed its objection which had been based around the provision of three sub-standard car parking spaces.  The amended plans before the Committee showed those spaces as lost and replaced by one.

 

·       There are bats on site, and regard was needed to the likelihood of a Natural England licence being granted.  Officers were of the view that the three tests required by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 would be met and that it was likely that a licence would be granted.  Updated bat surveys would be required in the event of approval.

 

·       For clarity in terms of amenity for future occupiers, the internal space was sufficient in accordance with Policy H15.  Whilst the external spaces were considered to be a low level provision, the proximity of the site to the towpath and Port Meadows was a material consideration and was considered to mitigate the small amenity space provided.  Therefore, the proposal accorded with policy H16.

The Planning Officer highlighted that the site was constrained, of an unusual shape and involved a number of landowners, all of which presented challenges.  It had been allocated for mixed use in the Local Plan and the principle of the proposal was considered acceptable.

Dr Phyllis Starkey, David Feeny and David Edwards, on behalf of the Jericho Wharf Trust, spoke against the application.

Councillor Lizzy Diggins spoke against the application.

George Taylor, resident, spoke against the application.

Oliver Holland, applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee’s discussion included the following points:

·       No affordable housing was included as part of the proposal, nor any contribution to affordable housing elsewhere off-site.  Officers considered that the independent viability assessment had been robust and had demonstrated that the proposed development was not viable to provide affordable housing.  Mitigation would be provided by way of a review mechanism secured by a S106 legal agreement, which would secure a 60% proportion of any surplus profit as a contribution to affordable housing in the City.  The Committee considered that this was not guaranteed, but was contingent on profits which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82