Apologies were received from Councillor Altaf-Khan (Councillor Wilkinson substituted) and Councillor Turner (Councillor Coulter substituted).

Councillors serving on the Committee are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in any item on the agenda.

The following declarations were made:-

(1)    Councillor Tony Brett – personal interest in the planning application for Roosevelt Drive (minute 14 refers) on the grounds that he was employed in the IT department of the University; however this was completely separate from the part of the University making the application;

(2)    Councillor Alan Armitage - personal interest in the planning application for Roosevelt Drive (minute 14 refers) on the grounds that his wife worked on the Old Road campus site;

(3)    Councillor Ruth Wilkinson – testament in relation to the planning application for Roosevelt Drive (minute 14 refers). Comments of hers had been reported in Cherwell magazine, but she had not declared a position and she had retained an open mind on the matter.

The Head of City Development has submitted a report which details a planning application for the demolition of 4 existing buildings (including Richards, Waco and Badenoch Buildings).  Erection of 2 medical research buildings on 3 floors plus basement to accommodate Nuffield Department of Medicine and Kennedy Institute, to include laboratories, offices, stores, workshops and ancillary spaces.  Provision of hard and soft landscaping, cycle parking and rearrangement of car parking.  (Amended Plans).

Officer recommendation: Approve subject to conditions.

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning the following application:-

Demolition of 4 existing buildings (including Richards, Waco and Badenoch Buildings).  Erection of 2 medical research buildings on 3 floors plus basement to accommodate Nuffield Department of Medicine and Kennedy Institute, to include laboratories, offices, stores, workshops and ancillary spaces.  Provision of hard and soft landscaping, cycle parking and rearrangement of car parking.  (Amended Plans) - University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive.

East Area Planning Committee had resolved to support the application at its meeting on 3^rd August 2011, subject to various requirements; but that decision had subsequently been called in to the Planning Review Committee.

Felicity Byrne (Planning Officer) presented the report to the Committee and explained the background. In answer to a question about trees, she confirmed that the advice from the Tree Officer was that long term management (replacing dead or dying trees/hedges) was the best way to deal with the existing screening of the site.

Martin Kraftl (Oxfordshire County Council Highways) explained the County Council’s view with special reference to issues of traffic, parking and Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ).  The County Council had not objected to the planning application. However, mindful of the East area Planning Committee’s concern, it had re-examined the calculation of the financial contribution towards highways measures required in mitigation for the development in the light of additional information. It had concluded that a case could be made for an additional contribution totalling £257,000. In the long term, the Highways Authority intended to create 3 new CPZs, in Divinity Road/Magdalen Road, Lye Valley and Wood Farm. Of these, the first was most advanced and expected to be created first, but the other two were expected to be simpler to deal with.

Speaking against the application

Patrick Coulter, Hilary Rollin, James Styring, Councillor Bob Timbs, Councillor David Rundle and County Councillor  Liz Brighouse spoke against the application and made the following points:-

• The infrastructure to manage a development of this type had not been provided in Headington yet;
• The application should be refused until there had been an assessment of it as part of an overall strategic plan for Headington. The Planning Inspector, speaking about the Core Strategy, had suggested that such a strategic plan was needed;
• Residents were concerned about the nature and impact of the buildings and movements to and from the site (both during the construction phase and when the site was staffed and in use). There was concern too about the height of the buildings and their proximity to neighbouring houses;
• There was concern too about the impact on traffic and parking in the area, which was already very congested at times. The Travel Plan submitted by the University was not thought by local people to be accurate or credible. As traffic and car parking was already an issue, would it be possible to ask for a CPZ to be implemented before the buildings were occupied?
• More funding for a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

Minutes of the meeting held on 27^th July 2011 are attached.

Resolved to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 27^th July 2011.

Meetings are scheduled for the following dates, starting at 6pm:-

28^th September

26^th October

30^th November

22^nd December

25^th January 2012

29^th February

28^th March

25^th April

Resolved to note the dates of future meetings as listed.