Agenda Item 5 West Area Planning Committee 13th June 2017 Application Number: 17/00250/FUL Decision Due by: 24th May 2017 Proposal: Alterations for the continued use of the buildings as student accommodation comprising: External alterations to elevations and roofs of the existing buildings; tree planting (including containers and supporting structures); alterations to, and landscaping of the courtyards; new cycle stores; alterations to existing lighting; and the formation of pedestrian pathways on the east side of Blocks 5 and 8 and the three gatehouses. Site Address: Castle Mill, Roger Dudman Way (site plan: appendix 1) Ward: Jericho And Osney Ward Agent: Mr Nik Lyzba Applicant: Chancellor, Masters And Scholars Of The University Of Oxford Recommendation: The West Area Planning Committee are recommended to grant planning permission for the following reasons Reasons for Approval 1 It is considered that the proposed design mitigation strategy for the existing buildings will, on balance, provide some mitigation for the harm that has been caused to the significance, in particular to the settings of a number of high value heritage assets. The Environmental Statement has assessed the strategy in respect of the landscape and visual impacts, historic environmental impacts, and impacts on ecology and nature conservation and considers that there will be some beneficial effects from the measures on these matters. Similarly it is not considered to give rise to any impacts with respect to highway matters, land contamination, air quality, and archaeology and any such matters could be addressed by appropriately worded planning conditions. The proposal is considered to be acceptable in terms of the aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework, and relevant policies of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026, Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026, and Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 REPORT 13 2 In considering the application, officers have had specific regard to the comments of third parties and statutory bodies in relation to the application. However officers consider that these comments have not raised any material considerations that would warrant refusal of the applications, and any harm identified could be successfully mitigated by appropriately worded conditions. 3 The Council considers that the proposal accords with the policies of the development plan as summarised below. It has taken into consideration all other material matters, including matters raised in response to consultation and publicity. Any material harm that the development would otherwise give rise to can be offset by the conditions imposed. Conditions 1 Development to commence within 6 months of date of permission in accordance with Unilateral Undertaking 2 Develop in accordance with approved plans and specifications within the ES and supporting documents 3 Samples of all materials 4 Landscaping carried out by completion 5 Submission of the Prescription Fertilization Plan 6 Revised Construction Traffic Management Plan and Phasing Plan 7 Securing on-site ecological expertise during construction 8 Badger run kept free from obstruction during construction 9 Cycle storage to provided as approved 10 Revised Land Contamination Report 11 Noise Assessment recommendations carried out 12 Mitigation measures for the supression of dust during construction 13 Details of sustainable urban drainage methods for hard surfacing 14 Details of all external lighting Principal Planning Policies: Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 CP1 - Development Proposals CP6 - Efficient Use of Land & Density CP8 - Design Development to Relate to its Context CP9 - Creating Successful New Places CP10 - Siting Development to Meet Functional Needs CP11 - Landscape Design CP13 - Accessibility CP17 - Recycled Materials CP18 - Natural Resource Impact Analysis CP19 - Nuisance CP20 - Lighting CP21 - Noise CP22 - Contaminated Land CP23 - Air Quality Management Areas TR1 - Transport Assessment TR4 - Pedestrian & Cycle Facilities NE6 - Oxford's Watercourses REPORT 14 NE13 - Water Quality NE16 - Protected Trees NE20 - Wildlife Corridors HE1 - Nationally Important Monuments HE3 - Listed Buildings and Their Setting HE7 - Conservation Areas HE9 - High Building Areas HE10 - View Cones of Oxford Core Strategy CS2_ - Previously developed and greenfield land CS9_ - Energy and natural resources CS10_ - Waste and recycling CS11_ - Flooding CS12_ - Biodiversity CS13_ - Supporting access to new development CS17_ - Infrastructure and developer contributions CS18_ - Urban design, town character, historic environment CS19_ - Community safety CS25_ - Student accommodation Sites and Housing Plan MP1 - Model Policy HP5_ - Location of Student Accommodation HP11_ - Low Carbon Homes HP14_ - Privacy and Daylight HP15_ - Residential cycle parking HP16_ - Residential car parking Relevant Planning History 11/02881/FUL - Extension to existing student accommodation at Castle Mill to provide additional 312 postgraduate units consisting of 208 student study rooms, 90 x 1 bed graduate flats and 14 x 2 bed graduate flats, plus ancillary facilities, 360 covered cycle spaces and 3 car parking spaces. (Amended Plans): Approved 13th August 2012. 14/03013/FUL - Environmental Statement for the Roger Dudman Way Development Castle Mill. 14/03013/CONSLT - Environmental Statement Addendum and Substantive Additional Information for the Castle Mill development, Roger Dudman Way. Public Consultation Statutory Consultees Cherwell District Council: No objection REPORT 15 Oxford Preservation Trust The Trust was invited to various consultations as these proposals progressed writing to the University at the time with our thoughts. The current application is in keeping with these proposals and OPT feels they are an improvement on the present situation as the buildings will now be less starkly defined in the long views OPT has written to the University to ask them to commit to take down the buildings after 25 years of occupation, by the end of 2040. We also asked them to agree that any subsequent redevelopment on this site be well-designed and high-quality, enhancing the setting of Port Meadow and restoring the lost view from the Meadows to the spires of Oxford This should be made a condition of this planning application, ensuring that this harm is not everlasting and will not be repeated in the future. Vale Of White Horse DC: No comment Environment Agency Thames Region The proposal is unlikely to have a significant impact on groundwater quality given that this site has recently been developed and assessed environmentally. However, given that an oil pollution incident occurred in April 2013 in the area of the Badger Run we would request that a condition is imposed which seeks a watching brief for unexpected contamination. Oxfordshire County Council The application proposes the alterations for the continued use of the buildings as student accommodation comprising: External alterations to elevations and roofs of the existing buildings; tree planting (including containers and supporting structures); alterations to, and landscaping of the courtyards; new cycle stores; alterations to existing lighting; and the formation of pedestrian pathways on the east side of Blocks 5 and 8 and the three gatehouses. It is noted that the number of off-street car parking spaces will remain the same. The application proposes there will be new cycle stores which will increase the number cycle parking spaces by 38. These appear to be located in an appropriate and easily accessible location and must be secure, enclosed and undercover. We note a Construction Management Plan has been submitted. However, this will need to be amended to include the restriction of deliveries (restriction times 0730 - 0930 and 1630 - 1830). In addition there has to be a commitment to undertake a dilapidation survey of the junction between Roger Dudman Way and Botley road. This will need to be agreed with the Highways authority. Therefore the county council does not object this application subject to a condition requiring a construction traffic management plan Natural England: No comments to make on the application Department of Communities and Local Government: No comment to make on the Environmental Statement REPORT 16 Historic England Historic England has concerns regarding the application on heritage grounds. However, we do not advise changes to the designs as they have been presented, which are an improvement on the existing. This is of course a long-running case. The team submitting the current modifications to the Castle Mill buildings, Orme and Nicholas Pearson Associates, were not involved in the original application or design, and have done what they could to deliver 'Option 1' of the possible mitigation strategies for the design shortcomings of this poor scheme. HE agree that there would be some beneficial effect from the proposals, even on the setting St Barnabas Church, Jericho, which HE have identified as having suffered substantial harm to its significance through the effect on its setting. Still, that small beneficial effect must be set against the 'high adverse' effect identified by NPA from the current design: so this set of modifications is playing around at the edges of what has happened. In the case of St Barnabas, the colour range of the buildings would come closer to the colour range of the tower itself, rendering the contrast less stark; but the contrast in colour was not the worst thing about the juxtaposition of these large and repetitive buildings with the church. Their location and