Site address:        Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS                                

Proposal:               Erection of research and teaching building (Use Class F.1) over five storeys plus basement level including associated café, offices, laboratories and roof level greenhouses, plant, PV panels and flues. Creation of new public open space with basement level access. Hard and soft landscaping works, installation of cycle and car parking, alterations to existing access points and service road, creation of new pedestrian and cycle access, installation of electricity substation and ancillary works.

Recommendation:

The West Area 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 subject to:

·         the satisfactory completion of a unilateral undertaking or legal agreement under section106 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.    agree to 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

·         ensure completion of the recommended unilateral undertaking or legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers with the County Council to secure the obligations 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 unilateral undertaking or section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

The Committee considered an application for planning permission for the erection of research and teaching building (Use Class F.1) over five storeys plus basement level including associated café, offices, laboratories and roof level greenhouses, plant, PV panels and flues; creation of new public open space with basement level access; hard and soft landscaping works, installation of cycle and car parking, alterations to existing access points and service road, creation of new pedestrian and cycle access, installation of electricity substation and ancillary works at the Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS.

The Planning Officer reported the following updates and clarifications to her report:

·       Response from Oxfordshire County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) raising no objection and recommending conditions already listed at conditions 17, 18, 19 in the report.

Clarifications:

·       Para 10.6 – confirmed that the current published monitoring report showed 2114 University students living outside University accommodation, so below the 2,500 threshold and meeting policy H9.

·       Para 10.26 – the agent confirmed the ridge height is 23m and parapet 21m on South Parks Road. The 24m referred to is the height to top of the plant.

·       Para. 10.43 – existing parking spaces totalled 69 spaces (Currently 29 spaces within the Mansfield Block, plus 6 outside William Dunn School) (35 in total). There were an additional 34 within Old Tinbergen. Proposed spaces were 24 total: 18 within the Mansfield Block (all operational and/disabled) 6 for LaMB outside William Dunn School (3 disabled and 3 parking for vulnerable patients of Psychology) All spaces are for operational vehicles and not staff vehicles.

·       Two EV points (not 3) would be provided.

·       Para 10.49 – should read ‘objectors’ not singular

·       Para 10.22 - Flues would extend 6m above main ridge height

·       Para 10.62 – Air source Heat pumps would be provided, not ground source heat pumps.

Debbie Dance, representing the Oxford Preservation Trust, spoke against the application, referencing in particular the height of the building and the impact on views.

Professor Chris Kennard, representing the applicant, and Robert Linnell, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it. After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

a)    approve application 20/02471/FUL 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 subject to:

the satisfactory completion of a unilateral undertaking or legal agreement under section106 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 set out in the report; and

b)    delegate authority to the 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 Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

b)    ensure completion of the recommended unilateral undertaking or legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers with the County Council to secure the obligations 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

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