The Committee considered an application (23/02092/FUL) for partial demolition of, and alterations to, Littlemore House; erection of 1no. research and development building (Use Class E) at Littlemore House with ancillary accommodation, clinic, educational floorspace and restaurant, new access arrangements, parking, landscaping, engineering and ground modelling works.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:

·        The scheme for Littlemore House and Plot 18 of the Oxford Science Park with an elevated walkway joining the two buildings for research and development use had been approved by the committee in April 2023 subject to conditions, completion of a S106 legal agreement and the resolution of any objections from the Environment Agency (EA) which had not commented at the date of the planning committee meeting.  Shortly after the April 2023 committee meeting the EA objected on biodiversity grounds in relation to Plot 18 of the Oxford Science Park and this had required a period of delay in order to address its concerns.    During the process of resolving the EA’s concerns the applicant had decided to submit a standalone application for Littlemore House, which was not subject to the EA’s comments, in order that meaningful work could be started in the event of a further protracted delay with the ‘main application’.  The EA removed its objections and recommended conditions on 3 November 2023, and the Section 106 legal agreement for the application was currently being negotiated.  This current application therefore now formed a ‘fallback’ position for the applicants should the ‘main application’ fall through for any reason.

·        The only difference between the application which had been considered in April and the application which was now before the Committee was the addition of roof-mounted solar panels in order to ensure that the standalone application adhered to the requirements of Policy RE1.

Guy Wakefield (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee asked questions about the report which were responded to by the officers.  As noted at the April committee meeting, a Committee Member expressed regret that the application had not been sympathetic to the avenue of lime trees which would be lost as part of the proposal.

On being proposed, seconded and put to the vote the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the planning application for the reasons set out in the report and subject to the conditions and the planning obligations set out in the report.

The Oxford City Planning Committee resolved to:

1.       approve the application for the reasons given in the report 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 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 were set out in the report; and

2.      delegate authority to the Head of Planning and Regulatory 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 and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary;

·        finalise the recommended 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 and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary; and

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