7 Settlement Form Urban Form Located in the north of Oxford, at the settlement edge, The existence of high capacity highway infrastructure has the site is characterised as an area of scattered roadside dictated the scattered development within the site. The development in an agricultural landscape. The area was land uses are largely there to service passing traffic or previously known as the Wolvercote Fields, an open car bound customers and have been engineered around arable and pastoral landscape, but today it is dominated vehicle movements and car parking. Consequently they by the A40 and A44 road corridors that trisect the are not locally distinctive nor offer any real sense of place. site and the elevated A34 highway to the north, which isolates the site from the surrounding countryside. The Within the wider area, Sunnymead is most distinctive for historic pattern of fields and hedgerows partly survives the substantial, mainly detached, dwellings that address to the west of the A40 and between the A40 and A44. Sunderland Avenue (A40) and Woodstock Road. These homes are set back from the main road within their own The land is formed by smooth, gently undulating and grounds and follow a fairly regular rhythm in terms of plot low-lying areas of Oxford Clay. The Oxford to Bicester width and building height (generally two stories) but the railway line defines the eastern boundary of the site. It variation in style and materials adds to the interest of the lies in a cutting and rises above grade as it continues streetscape. Upper Wolvercote is focused around the northward, restricting the possibility of connections 14th century Church of St Peter. A number of historic to the east. Connections to the north are also limited cottages survive, which are interspersed with twentieth by the embankment of the A34, although it is open at century built houses and apartments set within green ground level to the west of the A40. The National Cycle landscape. Route 5 forms the western boundary and runs parallel to a protected area of nature conservation known as Goose Green. This open character could allow for Urban Space more informal walking and cycle routes to the west but it is itself bounded by the Oxford Canal and Oxford to The A34 separates the site from the open countryside Birmingham railway line thereafter. beyond and as a consequence of this and other highway 41 infrastructure the overall character of the landscape is The southern boundary is less distinct in that it is fragmented. This erosion of the rural landscape structure formed by the rear boundaries of various residential means that this area does not show great strength of and commercial properties. These currently define the character or quality and the Oxford Landscape Character edge of the city, defined by the communities of Upper Assessment describes landscape quality as low. Despite Wolvercote, North Oxford and Sunnymead / Cutteslowe the area’s low landscape quality, it is in a visually sensitive situated immediately to the south west and east. location, in particular the parcel to the south of the A40 forms a setting to Wolvercote Conservation Area and Sunnymead / Cutteslowe are planned inter-war the historic Goose Green. Goose Green is a registered suburbs laid out in formal avenues and cul-de-sacs. common and is an important open space in the area. It is The character of Upper Wolvercote is more varied and located next to the most visually attractive part of the site organic in nature. The village core comprises a narrow, where the greatest concentration of hedgerows survives. winding central street with old cottages interspersed with more recent infill. Its special character comes from The streetscape of Sunnymead / Cutteslowe is its position on the edge of a floodplain from where it characterised by grass verges planted with municipal overlooks Wolvercote Green and Port Meadow beyond. street trees that provide a buffer between housing and The green has prevented the growth of the village to the traffic on the busy through roads. Front gardens are an west, allowing it to maintain its rural edge, which gives important feature of the streetscape as are the low red Upper Wolvercote a strong sense of place. brick walls with neatly trimmed hedges that define the boundary between the public and private realms. In Upper Wolvercote the existence of Coarse Coral Rag stone walls and mature trees lend to the area’s village character. OXFORD NORTHERN GATEWAY 4.0 Character Areas 8 Rationale Design Principles An important aspect of design is Separating the three main • Respect the character of natural to create distinctive environments character areas of Upper features of the site. that have a sense of place. A Wolvercote, Cowhill and Blindwell • Have its own identity, create a universal approach that fails to are the A40 and A44 corridors. distinctive and contemporary create character is a missed These are busy routes through setting for future investment, opportunity. the City and views of the site from uses and activity. these corridors are important. Four character areas have been In order to ensure a consistent defined as a basis for forming a streetscape on both sides of the sense of place. These originate road, two additional character from the natural subdivision areas are designated along these of the site and proposed land road corridors. uses. Their names originate from historic parish field names. 42 Peartree A 4 Blindwell 4 C o r r Cowhill i d o r A 40 Co rri dor Upper Wolvercote Figure 4.1 Character Areas Plan NORTHERN GATEWAY AREA ACTION PLAN 9 43 CA01 • Up to circa 30% of this character • Vehicular access to the site will be area should be developed for the key provided from a new junction on the Upper Wolvercote employment uses identified in the AAP. A40, shared with the new link road These should be located to the north of between the A40 and A44. This new This character area is located on the the site to create separation between junction should also include a toucan western edge of the site where it adjoins residential dwellings and the A34. crossing. Goose Green and the National Cycle Route • Strong walking and cycling links should • The development should respond network and Oxford Canal beyond. It be provided through the site to the positively to the setting of Goose Green contains a significant amount of hedgerow National Cycle Route 5 / Canal towpath and the Wolvercote with Godstow planting and the scope to provide a green and Wolvercote Village. These links Conservation Area. setting and transition to the existing village should relate to high quality toucan • The scope to retain the flexibility to of Upper Wolvercote should be reflected in crossings on the A40 to help enhance redevelop existing buildings to the south a greater amount of residential rather than permeability across the development as of this character area over the long term commercial development. a whole. for other land uses that better accord • The majority of existing hedgerows with the vision for the Northern Gateway should be retained and designed into should be considered. the settlement form. OXFORD NORTHERN GATEWAY 4.0 Character Areas 10 44 CA02 bring people and organisations • The Hub should be • A mix of appropriately together either through formal strategically located so that scaled and designed hard Cowhill associations or serendipity. it is easily accessible by foot and soft public spaces or cycle within Cowhill and should focus around the Cowhill lies between the A44 • The heart of Cowhill will beyond. Safe, convenient Hub and at busy pedestrian and the A40. This character form around the Hub, which and attractive walking and intersections. area is where the majority could include, University cycle routes should link the • Beyond the Hub there of employment uses will premises, a Training Centre Hub to new and existing should be a range of concentrate. Connectivity and / conferencing facilities and housing areas (including commercial buildings networking at all levels are a Business Centre. the new toucan crossings suited to the needs and essential to the commercial • The Hub should also include on the A40 and A44). This aspirations of enterprises success and quality of life places where people will enhance the potential operating in the knowledge of tenants and the built can eat, meet informally, to attract local amenities based economy. These environment should aid the relax, and buy essential that benefit workers and could include incubator process of creativity, interaction necessities, this will help to residents alike such as buildings housing a range and innovation with a range animate the area during the shops, cafes, a gym or of small units and grow-on of collaborative spaces that day and into the evening. crèche. accommodation to single NORTHERN GATEWAY AREA ACTION PLAN 11 45 occupier and owner occupier • The scope to retain the flexibility shared users to help ensure a office buildings. to redevelop existing buildings to commercially attractive scheme • An element of residential the south of this character area that avoids spillover car parking. development mixed into over the long term for other land development blocks (both uses that better accord with the laterally and / or vertically) is vision for the Northern Gateway acceptable but this should be should be considered. located to the south of this • Most car parking for commercial character area. The inclusion of uses will be provided in a housing will enhance the overall dedicated multi-storey or decked ambience and vibrancy of Cowhill car parking facility for shared but should not account for more use between commercial users. than 15% of this character area. Whilst every effort must be made • Vehicular access to the site will to encourage travel by non- be provided from the new Avenue car modes, car parking should link road between the A40 and be conveniently located within A44.