Site address: Land North of Bayswater Brook – see Appendix 1 for site plan.

Proposal: Erection of new A40 cycle and pedestrian bridge and associated pedestrian/cycle route connection works, formation of new vehicular access onto Elsfield Road and associated Elsfield Road/Woodeaton Road/Marston Interchange access and highway improvement works, formation of 2 no. new vehicular accesses onto Bayswater Road and associated highway improvement works on Bayswater Road, formation of 2 no. new Public Transport crossing bridges over the Bayswater Brook with associated bus route connection works, including a Public Transport-only access onto the A40, formation of 5 no. pedestrian/cycle bridges over the Bayswater Brook and associated pedestrian/cycle route connection works, flood alleviation measures along sections of the Bayswater Brook and landscape and infrastructure works (associated with the proposed residential and commercial development at Land North of Bayswater Brook solely within South Oxfordshire District Council).

Reason at Committee: This is a Major Planning Application.

RECOMMENDATION

The Oxford City 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 this report and grant planning permission

2.    agree to 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.

Councillor Upton left the meeting during this application, as stated in the declarations of interest.

The Committee considered an application (22/03049/FUL) for the erection of new A40 cycle and pedestrian bridge and associated pedestrian/cycle route connection works, formation of new vehicular access onto Elsfield Road and associated Elsfield Road/Woodeaton Road/Marston Interchange access and highway improvement works, formation of 2 no. new vehicular accesses onto Bayswater Road and associated highway improvement works on Bayswater Road, formation of 2 no. new Public Transport crossing bridges over the Bayswater Brook with associated bus route connection works, including a Public Transport-only access onto the A40, formation of 5 no. pedestrian/cycle bridges over the Bayswater Brook and associated pedestrian/cycle route connection works, flood alleviation measures along sections of the Bayswater Brook and landscape and infrastructure works (associated with the proposed residential and commercial development at Land North of Bayswater Brook solely within South Oxfordshire District Council).

The Planning Officer stated that the site lies within the boundaries of the South Oxfordshire District Council and the site was allocated within their plan. The South Oxfordshire District Council had resolved to approve the hybrid application for the development. In parallel to that, an application was submitted for a package of access works to facilitate the development. It was noted that Oxford City Council have one half of the application and South Oxfordshire District Council have the other half of the application for the access works.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and provided the following updates and clarifications:

•         There were several verbal updates noted. The section of the committee report setting out the Environmental Agency’s (EA) comments in the planning application, paragraph 914 to 915 were incomplete. The Planning Officer clarified that there should have been a third paragraph which stated the EA removed their objection on 10th May 2024, following the submission of a revised flood risk assessment that dealt with concerns of flood risk and biodiversity impact. The EA also recommended a number of conditions which are listed in section 12 of the report. Additionally, since the committee report was prepared, there have been two further representations of residents in Barton objecting to the application for a number of reasons. The reasons being that the development would have an adverse impact, increasing the flood concerns risk for residents at Barton and the application would result in the reversal of direction of the number 8 bus. The Planning Officer noted that the objections made relate primarily to the hybrid planning application for the substantive development. However, the concerns on flooding for this development are addressed in the officers’ report. The final update was to recommend that two conditions be added to the recommendation in section 12, one being the submission of a monitoring plan and the other being the maintenance scheme for the connectivity bridges.

•         The applicant went through a significant period of discussion with the County Council, as well as the South Oxfordshire District Council and officers from this Council to develop a scheme of access works to allow suitable access to deal with the traffic. Additionally, aiming to provide high quality pedestrian and cycle transport links to integrate the developments, with the developments in the city.

•         The proposal includes works on the western end, access on the eastern end, five connectivity bridges throughout the development and public transport links through a linkage on Barton Village Road. Additionally, a public transport access point which includes a bus priority route into the development, as well as a pedestrian and cycle bridge link from Barton Park and the A40.

•         The connectivity bridges were noted as the most significant parts of integrating the development into the surrounding areas. The bridges would be located throughout Barton Park, and two other connections would come into the existing Barton development.

•         In summary, the package of works had been developed in conjunction with the County Council as highway authority, following a review of the traffic modelling that was prepared for the main hybrid application. The applicant engaged with a range of different officers to provide high-quality transport links in order to create a development that would be part of the city and integrate itself with Barton and Barton Park. Section 10 of the officers’ report sets out how the planning matters have been balanced in accordance with the requirements of the NPPF. Officers would advise members to consider the application carefully, including all the representations made, while noting that the proposal was considered to be acceptable in terms of the aims and objectives of the NPPF and the relevant policies within the Oxford Local Plan. Therefore, it was recommended that the Committee resolve to grant planning permission for the development proposed, subject to the finalisation of conditions including the two additional conditions mentioned earlier in the verbal update.

Gavin Angell (applicant) and Councillor Glynis Phillips spoke in favour of the application.

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

On being proposed, seconded and put to the vote the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application for the reasons listed on the report, the verbal conditions and subject to the conditions 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 12 of this report and grant planning permission;

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.

Councillor Upton rejoined the meeting.