Site address: Units 2-5 Botley Retail Park, Lamarsh Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire

Proposal: Demolition of existing retail buildings and erection of a laboratory and office building for research and development (Use Class E). Provision of a cycle parking store, access, a plant, landscaping and associated works.

Reason at Committee: Major Development

RECOMMENDATION

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; and 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 this report; and

2. Agree to delegate authority to the Director of Planning & Regulation to:

·       finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as requested by the Lead Local Flood Authority and as the Director of Planning & Regulation considers reasonably necessary; and

·       finalise the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in this report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in this report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Director of Planning & Regulation considers reasonably necessary; and

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

The Committee considered an applicationfor the demolition of existing retail buildings and erection of a laboratory and office building for research and development (Use Class E). Provision of a cycle parking store, access, a plant, landscaping and associated works.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation outlining the details of the location and the proposal. This included site photos and existing and proposed elevations and plans:

• The application sought planning permission for the redevelopment of the existing brownfield site to provide high quality research and development and office use with associated, car and cycle parking, new hard and soft landscape planting. The development would provide increased employment, meet the demand for high quality laboratories for life sciences, and contribute towards Oxford’s post-pandemic growth and global reputation. The development would also positively enhance the character and appearance of the area through contemporary design and new landscaping.
• Eleven car parking spaces from within the existing shared car parking for the Retail Park were to be re-provided along the western edge of the development for disabled and operational users. Officers considered this acceptable when taking into account the land was owned by the applicant and the significant reduction in overall car parking.  Officers recommended an additional condition should be imposed to ensure the 11 car parking spaces were not brought into use until the number of spaces in the shared car parking area had been reduced by at least eleven. This would ensure there would be no net increase in car parking and that the proposal accorded with policy M3 on car parking.
• There would be sufficient cycle parking and there would be no adverse impact on the highway in terms of traffic generation, subject to conditions and contribution towards Botley Road highways improvements, bus services, improvements at the railway station and the Travel Plan.
• Therefore, officers recommended approval of the proposed development, subject to conditions and the additional condition and a legal agreement.

Councillor Muddiman spoke against the application.

David Bloy, Richard Warwick and Alexandra Milne spoke in favour of the application.

On being proposed, seconded, and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application for the reasons set out in the report, and subject to conditions including the additional condition and a legal agreement.

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 additional condition and grant planning permission; and 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 this report; and

2. Agree to delegate authority to the Director of Planning & Regulation to:

·       finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as requested by the Lead Local Flood Authority and as the Director of Planning & Regulation considers reasonably necessary; and

·       finalise the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in this report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in this report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Director of Planning & Regulation considers reasonably necessary; and

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