Site address: Plot 27, Oxford Science Park, Robert Robinson Avenue, Oxford

Proposal: Development of a laboratory and office building (Use Class E) with associated access road, landscaping, car parking, cycle parking, site infrastructure and engineering works and related works.

Reason at Committee: The proposals are for 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 and Regulatory Regulation 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; 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 Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

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

The Committee considered an application for the development of a laboratory and office building (Use Class E) with associated access road, landscaping, car parking, cycle parking, site infrastructure and engineering works and related 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 development at Plot 27 of the Oxford Science Park, Robert Robinson Avenue. It proposed the erection of a 4-storey building, including a rooftop plant screen, for research and development use to accommodate laboratories and associated offices.
• Officers considered that the proposed development responded appropriately to the site context, Local Plan policies and the Oxford Science Park site allocation. The development would result in no net loss in tree canopy cover after 25 years, due to new and retained soft landscaping. The level of harm to archaeological remains was assessed as moderate and less than substantial, and officers considered this harm to be outweighed by the public benefits outlined in the report.
• There would be no harm to any identified protected species and the proposal would achieve a Biodiversity Net Gain of 5.96% on site. The development was designed to be sustainable in terms of design and construction, achieving a 40.4% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the 2021 Part L Building Regulations.
• The scheme proposed 168 car parking spaces and 10 motorcycle spaces, associating an initial mode share of 46%, with an agreement to reduce this to 35.5% once the Cowley Branch Line became operational at peak times. This was considered acceptable in this location and in line with the objectives of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.
• A total of 104 cycle parking spaces were proposed on site, exceeding Local Plan requirements, with further details to be secured by condition. There would be no adverse impact from land contamination, noise pollution, air quality, flood risk or drainage as a result of the proposal.
• The Planning Officer provided a verbal update, stating that a clause that will be included in the section 106 requiring the removal of 23 parking bays once the Eastern Arc bus route and the Cowley Branch Line became operational would be amended to omit the trigger in relation to the Eastern Arc bus route, consistent with other similar schemes within the City and the Science Park itself.
• The Planning Officer concluded that the proposed development responded appropriately to the site context and complied with the Local Plan site allocation and policies overall. It was therefore recommended that the Planning Committee approve the application, subject to the section 106 legal agreement and finalisation of conditions.

Jitesh Patel spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by the officer 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 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; 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 and Regulatory Regulation 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; 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 Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

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