Issue - meetings
22/02446/CT3: Donnington Recreation Ground, Freelands Road, Oxford OX4 4BT
Meeting: 17/10/2023 - Planning - Oxford City Planning Committee (Item 39)
39 22/02446/CT3: Donnington Recreation Ground, Freelands Road, Oxford OX4 4BT 
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Site Address: |
Donnington Recreation Ground, Freelands Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire |
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Proposal: |
Removal of existing fencing and formation of footpath and cycle path and associated landscaping works (additional information: Updated Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Biodiversity Net Gain Design Stage Report). (Amended Description) |
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Reason at Committee: |
Called in by Councillors Turner, Pressel, Railton, Munkonge, Chapman, Fry, Coyne and Brown as this is a council project and there are local concerns in regards to the loss of trees and impact on biodiversity. |
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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 the report and grant planning permission and 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 the report; and 2. Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to: · finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the 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 the report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in the 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 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission. |
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Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillors Chapman and Railton left the meeting.
The Committee considered an application (22/02446/CT3) for removal of existing fencing and formation of footpath and cycle path, the installation of staggered timber bollards, timber kissing-gate and associated landscaping and associated signage at Donnington Recreation Ground, Freelands Road, Oxford.
The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:
· The full description of works at the top of the first page of the published report should read: ‘Removal of existing fencing and formation of footpath and cycle path, the installation of staggered timber bollards, timber kissing-gate and associated landscaping and associated signage.’ The Planning Officer confirmed that the application had been correctly advertised with this full description, and this was the proposal in front of members.
· Paragraph 10.27 required a minor correction to include the word ‘upon’ so it reads: ‘Policy G7 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036 states that planning permission will not be granted for development that results in the net loss of green infrastructure features such as hedgerows, trees or woodland where this would have a significant adverse impact upon public amenity or ecological interest, and it must be demonstrated that their retention is not feasible and their loss will be mitigated.’
· The application related to a public open space which was used for sports and recreation and sought planning permission for the formation of a footpath and cycle path and associated landscaping and signage. The site was bound by mature trees, including a strong mature tree line along the western boundary along Meadow Lane, and the surrounding area was predominantly residential.
· The aerial view showed a ‘desire line’ cutting across the field, which the proposal sought to mitigate and remove through the installation of a 3m wide shared cycle and footpath running along the southern edge of the site connecting Cavell Road to a new proposed entrance along Meadow Lane. This would allow for the grassed area to be repaired and reinstated for uses such as football.
· The proposal included the creation of a new entrance / exit to the south of Meadow Lane. To facilitate this, a number of trees were proposed to be removed.
· There had been a significant amount of public concern about the loss of the mature trees, and an updated arboricultural impact assessment had been submitted which had confirmed that 12 trees and one group of trees would be removed to facilitate the development, along with associated works within the root protection area of a number of trees along the southern boundary.
· It had been demonstrated that the works could not be achieved without the loss of some trees, and officers had assessed the impact in terms of the canopy area which would be lost. It was proposed that approximately 275sqm of tree canopy cover would be removed to facilitate the development. Subject to a condition requiring the works within the root protection area of trees and pruning work to be carried out in accordance with mitigation measures outlined in the Arboricultural Method Statement, ... view the full minutes text for item 39