Site address:             Old Power Station, 17 Russell Street, Oxford, OX2 0AR

Proposal:                  The conversion, redevelopment and extension of Osney Power Station to a Centre of Executive Education to be run by Said Business School.                  

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.     approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to:

a)    the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report and grant planning permission and subject to:

b)    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;

c)     and grant planning permission; 

2.     agree to delegate authority to the Acting Head of Planning Services to:

a)    finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

b)    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 the report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

c)     complete the section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

The Committee considered an application (18/02982/FUL) for planning permission for the conversion, redevelopment and extension of Osney Power Station to a Centre of Executive Education to be run by Said Business School.            

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

·       Condition 2  - should start with “Subject to condition 34”;

·       Condition 34 - at the end should state “The approved plan shall be implemented before first occupation”;

·       Conditions 19, 20 and 21 – the correct reference is to policy HE 2 of Local Plan;

·       Condition 35 –  should also include restriction for any informal parking

The Planning Officer referred the Committee to paragraph 10.9 of the report which addressed the Committee’s previous concerns about the number of Oxford University students living outside of University accommodation. The City Council had expected to receive a final figure by 6 September from both universities (Oxford & Brookes) but this response had not been received. However the applicant had stated that the updated number of students living outside of the university was 2703 not 2732 as stated in the report. Planning officers had not officially verified the figure but were satisfied that it was sufficiently below 3000.   

Debbie Dance (Oxford Preservation Trust) and Sophie Scott (local resident) spoke against the application. 

Sara Beck (on behalf of the applicant) and Robert Linnell, (Savills) spoke in favour of the application. Other representatives were present to answer questions from the Committee.

The Committee asked questions of the officers and public speakers about the details of the application and noted that the proposed development was now fully compliant with the 45-degree line guidance and with policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan and the equivalent policies in the emerging draft Local Plan 2016-2036.  The Committee were satisfied with the advice from the Urban Design and Conservation Officer and the silence of Historic England on the subject that the proposed alterations and additions to the existing Power Station building would not result in any harm to the significance of the Osney Town Conservation Area, Central Conservation Area including important views of and from the city.

The Committee discussion concluded with a suggestion that the applicant might consider the scope to increase the provision for cycle storage in line with the requirements in the emerging draft Local Plan 2016-2036.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it and were satisfied that their previous concerns about the development had been addressed.

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

On being put to the vote the Committee agreed the resolution as set out below.

The West Area 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 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 grant planning permission; 

2.     agree to delegate authority to the Acting 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 Acting 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 this 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 Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

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

Councillors Corais and Iley-Williamson arrived during the consideration of this item but took no part in the debate or in the determination of the application.

Councillor Gotch joined the meeting at the conclusion of this item.