Site address: Mansfield College, Mansfield Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire

Proposal: Demolition of the John Marsh Building, 6-8 Mansfield Road, Staircase E and the Garden Building and erection of a four storey building and basement to provide student accommodation and academic space. Two storey mews building to the north of the north range of buildings to provide plant and operational space and a three storey extension to the Champneys north range buildings to provide lift access. Removal of parking area and provision of a pocket park at the entrance with associated landscaping and hard surfacing works. Provision of cycle parking (amended plans and additional information) 

Reason at Committee: Major Development

RECOMMENDATION

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: 

·       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.    Agree to delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Regulation to: 

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

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

Site address: Mansfield College, Mansfield Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire

Proposal: Demolition of the John Marsh Building, 6-8 Mansfield Road, Staircase E and the Garden Building and erection of a four storey building and basement to provide student accommodation and academic space. Two storey mews building to the north of the north range of buildings to provide plant and operational space and a three-storey extension to the Champneys north range buildings to provide lift access. Removal of parking area and provision of a pocket park at the entrance with associated landscaping and hard surfacing works. Provision of cycle parking (amended plans and additional information)

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 12 of this report 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.    Agree to delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Regulation to:

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

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

·       complete a condition survey for Mansfield road to the CTMP condition

The Committee considered an application for the demolition of the John Marsh Building, 6-8 Mansfield Road, Staircase E and the Garden Building and erection of a four-storey building and basement to provide student accommodation and academic space. Two storey mews building to the north of the north range to provide plant and operational space and a three-storey extension to the Champneys north range buildings to provide lift access. Removal of parking area and provision of a pocket park at the entrance with associated landscaping and hard surfacing works. Provision of cycle parking (amended plans and additional information).

The Planning Officer gave a presentation outlining the details of the location and the proposal. This included site photos and existing and proposed elevations and plans:

·       The application was for the redevelopment at Mansfield College, comprising of the demolition of the existing south range, erection of a new south range for student accommodation and academic floor space.

·       The committee report stated that while the proposal was balanced in relation to the heritage harm and public benefits, the scheme overall was deemed acceptable and was in accordance with the relevant local plan policies and NPPF. The Planning Officer highlighted the public benefits of the scheme in detail, which included the long term future of the site and its listed buildings as a University College (its intended use), better reveal the civil war ramparts, improve accessibility around the site, provide a higher standard of accommodation, release an estimated 29 homes back to the rental market, reduce college carbon emissions, increase tree canopy cover and reduce parking and car movements in the city.

·       It was clarified that the 3 tests in relation to European protected species (bats) was not required as there was no evidence of them found on site.

·       A S106 is not required to secure the purchase of off-site Biodiversity Net Gain credits as this is adequately controlled by condition.

·       It was recommended that the Committee resolved to approve planning permission subject to the conditions and a legal agreement as set out in the officer's report which could be in the form of a section 106 or a unilateral undertaking directly with the county council.

Helen Mountfield, Rob Linnell and Dawn Brodie spoke in favour of the application. 

The Committee asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers and the applicant. The Committee’s discussions included, but were not limited to:

·       Concerns were raised regarding the cycle spaces on site. The Planning Officer responded that the applicant worked closely with the college to include as many cycle spaces on site to support the number of students living there. The Officer noted that the requirement was for 294 cycle spaces and out of 294, they were able to accommodate 256 on site. The remaining spaces would be secured as on street parking through the county council.

·       Questions were raised around biodiversity net gain and how much would be offsite. The applicant responded that through the significant investment in landscaping, they  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6