The Committee considered an application (21/01261/FUL) for the demolition of existing Principal’s Lodgings and removal of existing gym building, car park and shed / storage units; erection of two new student accommodation buildings (72 rooms) and associated collegiate facilities including replacement gym, health and welfare facilities, and offices; erection of new replacement Principal’s Lodgings building and associated landscape improvements and bicycle parking at St Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DY.

The Planning Officer presented the report and visualisations of the development, and drew attention to a number of key points of the scheme:

·           The removal of the Principal’s Lodge and the addition of the new, larger, buildings would alter the characteristic of the area between the campus and the meadows which was currently transitional in nature.  Therefore there would be some harm. 

·           A request had been made by a third party during the application process to list the Principal’s Lodge.  Historic England had considered this, and concluded that listing was not merited.  Historic England had no objections to the proposal, nor to the loss of the Principal’s Lodge.  There had also been no objections from the Environment Agency, or the Lead Local Flood Authority, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

·           Officers considered that, whilst the proposal would result in a medium level of less than substantial harm, this was outweighed by the public benefits to be derived from the proposal. These included releasing houses back on to the market by accommodating students on site, and improving public access to St Hilda’s College and the adjacent meadow when possible.

·           There would be no harm to protected species, and net gain in biodiversity would be met on site.  The development would be of sustainable design and construction, and exceeding the 40% target for carbon emissions.  Although 8 trees would be lost, the canopy assessment showed a 65% canopy increase over the next 30 years as a result of new tree planting proposed;

·           There would be a reduction of 18 car parking spaces as part of the proposal, which would contribute towards the aims of reducing traffic, improving air quality, and encouraging alternative forms of transport.

Chris Woods, Bursar of St Hilda’s College and Joel Callow, Design Engineer, spoke in favour of the proposal.

The Committee asked questions of officers and the applicant about the details of the application.  Clarification was provided on the following points:

·           During the process of considering the application, and following comments from Historic England, the full exterior of the Meadow building would be clad with green ceramic tiles;

·           It was expected that the improved public access to the meadow would be secured by way of a Public Access Strategy, setting out details such as how many times in a year access would be provided, and in what form (e.g. guided tours, open days);

·           A construction environmental management plan would be conditioned as part of the County Council’s requirements.  Additionally, the College had recent experience of managing construction works at the site, which was in close proximity to The Plain roundabout.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it.

After debate and being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application subject to (i) the planning conditions set out in the report; (ii) completion of a S106 legal agreement and Unilateral Undertaking; and (iii) delegation to the Head of Planning Services to finalise the recommended conditions and legal agreements.

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 13 of the report and grant planning permission, subject to:

·         the satisfactory completion of a Unilateral Undertaking and 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 report; and

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

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

·         finalise the recommended Unilateral Undertaking and legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as 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 section 106 legal agreement referred to above and after completion of the Unilateral Undertaking issue the planning permission.