Site address: Rivera House and Adams House, Reliance Way

Proposal: Demolition of existing office accommodation at Rivera House and Adams House. Construction of up to 98 student study rooms with provision for disabled car parking spaces and cycle parking. (Outline application with all matters reserved).

Officer recommendation: that the application is refused for the following reasons:

1.    The proposed development would result in the loss of employment accommodation in the absence of robust justification to the detriment of the economic vitality of the city and the important balance between employment and housing as a means of achieving sustainable development. Consequently the proposals fail to accord with the requirements of policy CS28 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.    The proposals would inevitably result in a height and scale of development that would, in combination with the existing adjacent four storey development, unacceptably dominate and impose itself upon the wider Cowley Road streetscene to the detriment of the character and appearance of the surrounding area as well as a significant adverse impact on the setting of the adjacent non-designated heritage asset of Canterbury House. Moreover, the intensity of development proposed would be likely to lead to an overdevelopment of the site such that it would provide a poor quality environment within the site for future student occupiers with inadequate car parking and vehicle manoeuvring space together with insufficient quality and quantity of outdoor amenity space. Consequently, and in the absence of the submission of an appropriate indicative scheme to indicate otherwise, the proposed development cannot reasonably be considered to be able to deliver a scheme that is of a scale, form, density and layout that is appropriate for its intended use and context. The proposals are therefore found to be contrary to the requirements of policies CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9 and CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, policies CS18 and CS25 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policies HP5 and HP9 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

3.    Having regard to the amount of student accommodation proposed together with the existing student accommodation on the adjacent site as well as the proximity of family dwellings, the proposed development would be likely to cumulatively give rise to a level of noise and disturbance that would  cause significant harm to the amenity enjoyed by occupiers of nearby dwellings and have a significant impact on the  mix and balance of the local community to the detriment of the character of the immediate area and successful community cohesion. Consequently in this respect the proposals are found to be contrary to the requirements of policies CP1, CP10, CP19 and CP21 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 as well as policy HP5 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

4.    As a result of the proposed redevelopment of the site there would be inadequate car parking provision to serve the adjacent retained offices of Canterbury House. Such an arrangement would only be likely to further prejudice the attractiveness and suitability of these employment premises to potential occupiers in the long-term giving rise to further harm to the overall balance between employment and housing in this city. Consequently the proposals are considered to be contrary to the requirements of policy TR3 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 as well as policy CS28 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026.

5.    In the absence of the submission of any information to allow the local planning authority to assess whether a final scheme could meet planning policy requirements in relation to its sustainable design and construction credentials as well as the necessary on-site renewable energy generation, it cannot be reasonably concluded that a final scheme could deliver genuinely sustainable development. Consequently the proposals are found to be contrary to the requirements of policy CP18 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, policy CS9 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policy HP11 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

The Head of City Development submitted a report which detailed an application for outline planning permission for the demolition of existing office accommodation at Rivera House and Adams House; construction of up to 98 student study rooms with provision for disabled car parking spaces and cycle parking. (Outline application with all matters reserved) at Rivera House and Adams House, Reliance Way.

The Committee resolved to refuse permission for application 14/03204/OUT for the following reasons:

1.    The proposed development would result in the loss of employment accommodation in the absence of robust justification to the detriment of the economic vitality of the city and the important balance between employment and housing as a means of achieving sustainable development. Consequently the proposals fail to accord with the requirements of policy CS28 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.    The proposals would inevitably result in a height and scale of development that would, in combination with the existing adjacent four storey development, unacceptably dominate and impose itself upon the wider Cowley Road streetscene to the detriment of the character and appearance of the surrounding area as well as a significant adverse impact on the setting of the adjacent non-designated heritage asset of Canterbury House. Moreover, the intensity of development proposed would be likely to lead to an overdevelopment of the site such that it would provide a poor quality environment within the site for future student occupiers with inadequate car parking and vehicle manoeuvring space together with insufficient quality and quantity of outdoor amenity space. Consequently, and in the absence of the submission of an appropriate indicative scheme to indicate otherwise, the proposed development cannot reasonably be considered to be able to deliver a scheme that is of a scale, form, density and layout that is appropriate for its intended use and context. The proposals are therefore found to be contrary to the requirements of policies CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9 and CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, policies CS18 and CS25 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policies HP5 and HP9 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

3.    Having regard to the amount of student accommodation proposed together with the existing student accommodation on the adjacent site as well as the proximity of family dwellings, the proposed development would be likely to cumulatively give rise to a level of noise and disturbance that would  cause significant harm to the amenity enjoyed by occupiers of nearby dwellings and have a significant impact on the  mix and balance of the local community to the detriment of the character of the immediate area and successful community cohesion. Consequently in this respect the proposals are found to be contrary to the requirements of policies CP1, CP10, CP19 and CP21 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 as well as policy HP5 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

4.    As a result of the proposed redevelopment of the site there would be inadequate car parking provision to serve the adjacent retained offices of Canterbury House. Such an arrangement would only be likely to further prejudice the attractiveness and suitability of these employment premises to potential occupiers in the long-term giving rise to further harm to the overall balance between employment and housing in this city. Consequently the proposals are considered to be contrary to the requirements of policy TR3 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 as well as policy CS28 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026.

5.    In the absence of the submission of any information to allow the local planning authority to assess whether a final scheme could meet planning policy requirements in relation to its sustainable design and construction credentials as well as the necessary on-site renewable energy generation, it cannot be reasonably concluded that a final scheme could deliver genuinely sustainable development. Consequently the proposals are found to be contrary to the requirements of policy CP18 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, policy CS9 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policy HP11 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.