The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which advises on the procedure that Council needs to follow under the Council’s Petitions Scheme in respect of large petitions, and to provide information specifically on the petition entitled “Port Meadow, Oxford- Damaged view”.

Council is being recommended to follow the procedure for large petitions by hearing the head petitioner and to then debate the petition and decide how to advise the Executive.

The Head of Law and Governance submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which advised Council on the procedure that it needed to follow under the Council’s Petitions Scheme in respect of large petitions.  The report also provided information specifically on the petition entitled “Port Meadow, Oxford – Damaged View”.

Sushilla Dhall as Head Petitioner addressed Council on the contents of the petition.

Council debated the contents of the petition.

Councillor Bob Price moved the following Motion:

“Council notes the widespread concern about the impact of the development of postgraduate accommodation at Roger Dudman Way on views from Port Meadow, but that a fully valid planning permission is held by the University. Council also notes that the extensive level of consultation with public and statutory bodies, as set out in sections 4 and 5 of the report from the Head of City Development, fully met the requirements of the Council's procedures, and that the University also undertook consultation through a public exhibition.

As detailed in the further report from the officers, the conditions attached to the granting of the planning permission, relating to planting and screening are currently being determined, as are some amendments to the physical appearance of the flats. Council therefore determines to ask the Head of City Development to bring forward as soon as possible in the New Year, a report setting out an assessment of the scope for further measures that are legally possible and that would contribute in the long and the short term to mitigate the impact on the views looking south from Port Meadow”.

Councillor Elise Benjamin seconded by Councillor Hollick, proposed an amendment to the Motion by Councillor Price as follows:

“To delete all of the words after the first sentence in the first paragraph”.

Councillor Price, did not accept the proposed amendment by Councillor Benjamin and following a vote, the amendment was not adopted by Council.

Councillor John Goddard proposed a further amendment as follows:

To insert the words “any general lessons that need to be learned from the handling of this application” after the word “out” in the sixth line of the second paragraph.

Councillor Price accepted the amendment by Councillor Goddard and following a vote, Council agreed:

(a)       To note the widespread concern about the impact of the development of postgraduate accommodation at Roger Dudman Way on views from Port Meadow, but that a fully valid planning permission is held by the University. Council also notes that the extensive level of consultation with public and statutory bodies, as set out in sections 4 and 5 of the report from the Head of City Development, fully met the requirements of the Council's procedures, and that the University also undertook consultation through a public exhibition.

As detailed in the further report from the officers, the conditions attached to the granting of the planning permission, relating to planting and screening are currently being determined, as are some amendments to the physical appearance of the flats. Council therefore determines to ask the Head of City Development to bring forward as soon as possible in the New Year, a report to the West Area Planning Committee, setting out any general lessons that need to be learned from the handling of this application and an assessment of the scope for further measures that are legally possible and that would contribute in the long and the short term to mitigate the impact on the views looking south from Port Meadow.