The Committee considered an application for demolition of existing office buildings and erection of 1no. laboratory-enabled office building for research and development with ancillary commercial use (all within Use Class E); provision of new access, alterations to existing footpath, motor vehicle and cycle parking, landscaping and services infrastructure at 4200 Nash Court, John Smith Drive, Oxford.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:

·        The figure for the total liability for Community Infrastructure Levy, shown in the report as £852,980.70, had been mis-calculated by the CIL team.  The correct figure for the CIL liability was £170,555.70.

·        The Environment Agency had now submitted its response to the proposal and confirmed that it did not object, subject to the inclusion of conditions relating to a remediation strategy, piling, boreholes, infiltration and the storage of oils, fuels and chemicals.

·        The application sought approval for the redevelopment of plot 4200 at ARC Oxford, a category 1 employment site which was allocated for employment use.  Demolition of all of the existing two storey office buildings was proposed, with replacement with a three storey lab-enabled office building with a gross internal area of 9,829 sqm.  This would accommodate containment level 2 labs with internal ancillary amenity uses and a roof terrace at the third floor.  Five single-storey ancillary buildings to store cycles, lab gasses and bins were also included, with generators and a sub-station located to the north, south and west of the main laboratory building.

·        The proposed building was, by way of its form and design, considered to make an efficient use of the development plot which would sit comfortably within the local context.  The existing footpath to the south of Plot 4200 and included within the application site would be partially widened to create an enhanced entrance plaza with seating and visitor cycle spaces.  The gate fronting Boswell Road would be removed, allowing 24-hour public access.  A spur from the footpath, which would be gated, would lead directly to Plot 4200 providing a shortcut for staff and visitors to the building.  The main pedestrian entrance to the plot would be via the existing central vehicular access off John Smith Drive which would be stopped up with the addition of a drop off bay.

·        Vehicular access was proposed towards the northern and southern boundaries of the site.  166 vehicular surface level parking spaces, including visitor parking and accessible bays, would be provided on site.  This was a reduction of 77 spaces when compared to the existing provision, equating to an acceptable mode share of 41.5%.  29% of spaces would be equipped with EV charging, with a condition requiring ducting for 100% of the spaces in order to meet future need.

·        117 cycle parking spaces would be provided for staff and visitors, exceeding Local Plan requirements.

·        It was considered that the proposal would represent a modest addition to the conservation area’s wider setting to the south, which would result in a very low level of less than substantial harm to the central conservation area.  In accordance with paragraph 206 of the NPPF it was considered that the pressing need for high quality laboratory enabled office space within this area provided clear and convincing justification for the low level of less than substantial harm caused.  Further, in accordance with paragraph 208 of the NPPF the public benefits provided by the development - which included local economic uplift, a commitment to employ a proportion of local residents, enhanced pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, a reduction in car parking provision with a commitment to reduce this further once the Cowley Branch Line was operational, a 5% biodiversity net gain within ARC Oxford, a marginal net gain increase in tree canopy cover and a 45.4% reduction in carbon emissions - would collectively outweigh the very low level of less than substantial harm to the setting of the central conservation area.

·        Officers considered that the proposed development would respond appropriately to the site context, the Oxford Business Park site allocation and the Local Plan policies as a whole.  The application was therefore recommended for approval subject to a S106 legal agreement and the finalisation of conditions.

Steven Sensecall (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers.

A Committee Member welcomed the fact that the enhanced footpath would lead directly to the bus stops on Barns Road, thereby improving the transport route into the business park.  Additionally, there was further potential to improve public transport and pedestrian access through the S278 agreement.  Pedestrian links within ARC Oxford  provide an almost straight line route to the Cowley Branch Line station.  The Committee Member also welcomed the reduction in car parking, and the efficient use of the site.

On being proposed, seconded and put to the vote the Committee agreed with the officers’ recommendation to approve the application subject to the conditions set out in the report and the conditions required by the Environment Agency and a legal agreement to secure 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 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 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

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; and

·       respond to the comments made by the Environment Agency with regards to a remediation strategy, piling, boreholes, infiltration and the storage of oils, fuels and chemicals and finalise any recommended conditions;

·       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.