Report of the Head of City Development is attached.

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended), concerning an application for a new swimming pool at the Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, Pegasus Road.

Before consideration of this item began, Cathryn Yeagers (Lawyer, Law and Governance) clarified that there was nothing in law to prevent members of the City Executive Board from determining this application. They would only be precluded from participation in the event that they had pre-determined how they intended to vote. It was essential that the application was approached with an open mind.

Michael Crofton Briggs (Head of City Development) explained the route that this application had taken. It was considered by the former Strategic Development Control Committee (SDCC) on 28^th April 2011, and was then called in for further consideration by 12 members of the Council.  Under new arrangements, put in place by Council on 18^th April, it had been agreed that the application would be looked at afresh by the new Planning Review Committee and would not be called into Council.

Councillor Bance then confirmed that no “whip” system was in force amongst any of the political groups on the Council. She added that the meeting was a “meeting held in public” and not a “public meeting”. Public participation was permitted at the appropriate point as outlined in the Code of Practice for Planning Committees. Should anyone wish to speak during the public speaking spot they would be required to complete and submit a speakers’ form.

Application for a new swimming pool, Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys

Murray Hancock (Planning) presented the report to the Committee.

Speaking against the application, Nigel Gibson and Susan Heeks made the following points:-

• Why was the meeting being held on 2^nd June and not on 29^th June?
• Representations from residents of Dene Road should have been responded to point by point;
• Had the recommendations made at SDCC on 28^th April been fully taken into account – for example, the production of a travel plan?
• There were concerns about the Sequential assessment – Temple Cowley, in Mr Gibson’s view, was a primary destination centre and a transport hub, and there were a number of sites in this area that would be available for a new pool;
• The site at Blackbird Leys was not suitable because it was outside the ring road and on only one bus route (Policy CP3);
• There were doubts about the accessibility of the site by foot, bicycle and public transport (Policy CS14)
• The new site would most probably be accessed by people in cars or on buses, leading to congestion in the adjacent area. Parked cars in the roads around the site resulted in the roads being reduced to a single carriageway;
• Concern that the issue was not being judged independently as the Council had consistently voted for the creation of a new pool at Blackbird Leys;
• The proposed site was the subject of an application for Town Green status;
• The site was unsustainable in terms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5