Site address:                  Oxford Railway Station, Park End Street, Oxford

Proposal:                        Application for Prior Approval - Part 18 of General Permitted Development Order (GPDO).  Oxford railway station proposed west side engineering works to construct an additional platform 5 railway line with associated platform canopy cover and platform enclosures providing passenger facilities, along with a stair and lift access to a subway connection to a proposed secondary station entrance incorporating retail, public toilets, an open concourse, staff accommodation and a relocated station refuse area.  Proposed replacement rail and pedestrian bridges over Botley Road along with alterations to the road to provide grade separated pavements each side.  Reconfiguration of Roger Dudman Way to connect onto Cripley Road and replacement of Sheepwash Bridge.  Proposed demolition of the single storey railway buildings at the rear of platform 4, along with the Youth Hostel and removal of two small single storey commercial units between Cripley Road and Roger Dudman Way.  Formation of public realm to the west side of the proposed station building along with cycle parking facilities (PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A PLANNING APPLICATION BUT A NOTIFICATION SUBMITTED BY NETWORK RAIL FOR PRIOR APPROVAL BY OXFORD CITY COUNCIL)

Reason at Committee:     This application has been called in by Councillors Cook, Pressel, Clarkson, Upton, Munkonge and Rowley due to concerns about delivering a high public realm and sufficient cycle parking.

Recommendation:

The Oxford City Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.     Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

·       grant prior approval, provided he is satisfied the flooding issues have been satisfactorily addressed and to also include the updating of plans to ensure they are correctly cross referenced, for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required conditions as set out in section 11, including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions to those conditions and plans as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

The Committee considered an application (21/02007/PA18:) for Prior Approval Part 18 of General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) for Oxford railway station proposed west side engineering works to construct an additional platform 5 railway line with associated platform canopy cover and platform enclosures providing passenger facilities, along with a stair and lift access to a subway connection to a proposed secondary station entrance incorporating retail, public toilets, an open concourse, staff accommodation and a relocated station refuse area; proposed replacement rail and pedestrian bridges over Botley Road along with alterations to the road to provide grade separated pavements each side; reconfiguration of Roger Dudman Way to connect onto Cripley Road and replacement of Sheepwash Bridge; proposed demolition of the single storey railway buildings at the rear of platform 4, along with the Youth Hostel and removal of two small single storey commercial units between Cripley Road and Roger Dudman Way; formation of public realm to the west side of the proposed station building along with cycle parking facilities

The application was before the Committee as it had been called in by Councillors Cook, Pressel, Clarkson, Upton, Munkonge and Rowley due to concerns about delivering a high public realm and sufficient cycle parking.

The Planning Officer presented the report and made the following verbal updates:

·         Paragraph 9.66 refers to a condition being included for network rail to set out measures to minimise drop off/pick up. Oxfordshire County Council (the County) have since withdrawn this condition and it is therefore not included in the list of conditions in chapter 11.

·         As part of the phase 2 project there is a need to re-provide the two blue badge spaces and 6 operational spaces (2 for Network Rail Operational Staff, 2 for GWR and 2 for British Transport Police). There will be no public car parking provided. Therefore an additional condition will be included requiring details and the location of the parking spaces to be provided.

·         Paragraph 9.43 references Part 19 of the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) this should instead reference Part 18 of the GPDO.

·         Paragraph 10.8 - should read ‘station building would not injure the amenity of the neighbourhood’.

The Planning Officer said that since the publication of the report the Environment Agency had provided updated comments following the submission of additional information. Those comments did not amount to a formal objection but a number of technical concerns had been identified. Planning officers were satisfied that those concerns raised could be addressed through the inclusion of additional conditions:

1.    To obtain the modelling results identified as not included by the EA.

2.    Flood resilience and resistance measures are to be submitted

3.    Any changes to the scheme, including those related to flood mitigation shall be provided

4.    The pumps under the Botley Road Bridge must be replaced and upgraded and details of these pumps shall be provided

5.    A flood warning and evacuation plan for the station shall be submitted

6.    A flood plan to demonstrate how the Botley Road will be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41