Report to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by J P Watson BSc FCIHT MICE MCMI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Date: 15 July 2011 TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT 1992 TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 ACQUISITION OF LAND ACT 1981 THE CHILTERN RAILWAYS (BICESTER TO OXFORD IMPROVEMENTS) ORDER 201[X] REQUEST FOR A DIRECTION UNDER SECTION 90(2A) OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 APPLICATION FOR AN EXCHANGE LAND CERTIFICATE UNDER SECTIONS 19 AND 28 OF THE ACQUISITION OF LAND ACT 1981 Dates of Inquiry: 2 November 2010 to 28 January 2011 Ref: TWA/10/APP/01 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Case Details 1 1 Preamble 1 2 Description Of The Site And Its Surroundings 3 3 Procedural Matters 6 3.1 Costs Application 6 3.2 Planning Policy 6 3.3 Applications for Adjournment 6 3.4 Document CRCL/INQ/1/1 10 3.5 Statutory Undertaker’s Land: British Waterways 10 Board 3.6 Creation of Brookfurlong Crossing 11 3.7 Common Land at Port Meadow 12 3.8 Mansmoor Road, Otmoor 14 3.9 Document Obj 185/3 14 3.10 The Eligibility of Buildings For Noise Insulation 15 3.11 Human Rights 15 4 The Case For Chiltern Railways 15 4.1 Regulatory and Contractual Framework 16 4.2 Transport 19 4.3 East West Rail 26 4.4 Demand Forecasts and Economic Appraisal 29 4.5 Engineering 36 4.6 Level Crossings 46 4.7 Road Transport Impacts and Management 49 4.8 Noise and Vibration 57 4.9 Terrestrial Ecology 67 4.10 Land and Property 74 4.11 Planning and Environment 74 5 The Cases For The Supporters 101 5.1 Railfuture (Supp 14) 101 5.2 Lord Bradshaw (Supp 16) 102 5.3 Bicester Vision (Supp 25) 102 5.4 First Great Western (Supp 20) 102 5.5 Rail Freight Group and Lord Berkeley (Supps 38 102 and 15) 5.6 Dame Fiona Caldicott (Supp 34) 103 5.7 Network Rail (Supp 41) 104 5.8 Oxford United Football Club Ltd (Supp 32) 104 5.9 Aylesbury Vale Advantage (Supp 39) 104 5.10 Additional Matters In Support Of The Scheme 104 Raised In Written Representations 6 The Cases For The Objectors 6.1 The Trap Ground Allotment Association (Obj 13) 105 6.2 Mr Jonathan Clark (Obj 236) 108 6.3 Ms Hoonie Feltham (Obj 317) 109 6.4 Mr Ian Salisbury (Obj 5) 110 6.5 Councillor Jean Fooks (Rep 7) 114 6.6 Mr Edward Surridge (Obj 315) 114 6.7 Mr Peter Claye (Obj 255) 115 6.8 Drs Michael Drolet and Rosalind Thomas (Obj 9) 115 6.9 Engage Oxford (Obj 297) 116 6.10 Mr J C Thorowgood and Ms H M F Chance (Obj 77) 118 6.11 Quadrangle Management Limited (Obj 14) 118 6.12 Ms Nicola Blackwood MP (Obj 312) 120 6.13 Dr & Mrs Stephen Young (Obj 95) 121 6.14 Ms Sushila Dhall (Obj 235) 122 6.15 Harry and Reneth Schoetz (Obj 232) 122 6.16 Dr Rob Hope (Obj 179) 123 6.17 Councillor Michael Gotch (Obj 61) 123 6.18 Ms Maureen Rosenberg (Obj 143) 124 6.19 Professor Alexander M Korsunsky (Obj 295) 124 6.20 Dr Caroline Robertson (Obj 234) 127 6.21 Sir Muir and Lady Jackie Gray (Obj 149) 133 6.22 Mr Glyn Taylor (Obj 132) 135 6.23 Islip Parish Council (Obj 294) 136 6.24 James and Lucy de Jonge (Objs 50 and 93) 137 6.25 Ann and Jon Conibear (Obj 91) 137 6.26 Mr and Mrs J Delafield (Obj 75) 138 6.27 Mr Michael Graham and Ms Amanda Roberts (Obj 138 39) 6.28 The Ramblers’ Association (Obj 41) 139 6.29 Oxford Fieldpaths Society (Obj 55) 140 6.30 Charlton-on-Otmoor Parish Council (Rep 9) 142 6.31 Mr K A Hayward (Obj 1) 142 6.32 The Trustees of A Deeley and the Trustees of I H G 143 Calcutt (Obj 194) 6.33 Topbreed Limited and Primepark Limited (Objs 189 144 and 190) 6.34 Catherine and Bartholomew Quinn (Obj 230) 147 6.35 The Owner and Residents of Merton Grounds Farm 148 (Obj 191) 6.36 Mr and Mrs Offord and Mr and Mrs Bradshaw (Obj 151 238) 6.37 Brian and Pheobe Davies (Obj 111) 155 6.38 Mrs Greta Walker (Obj 7) 156 6.39 Mr Alistair Buckley (Obj 245) 158 6.40 The Oxford Green Belt Network (Obj 122) 159 6.41 Campaign to Protect Rural England Oxfordshire 161 (Obj 195) 6.42 Paul and Denise West (Obj 12) 163 6.43 Mrs Rosemary Harris (Obj 213) 163 6.44 Wendlebury Parish Council (Obj 286) 166 6.45 Bus Users UK Oxford Group (Obj 205) 166 6.46 Cyclists’ Touring Club (Rep 12) 168 6.47 Mr Jesse Benjamin Honour, Mrs Margaret Honour 168 and Mr Jesse Scott Honour (Objs 44, 45 and 46) 6.48 The Freemen Of Oxford (Obj 314) 169 6.49 The Wolvercote Commoners’ Committee (Obj 321) 170 6.50 Grundon Waste Management Limited (Obj 102) 170 6.51 The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire 173 Wildlife Trust (Obj 211) 6.52 Mr A Basson and Leda Properties Limited (Objs 51 176 and 52) 6.53 Mr Paul Withrington (Obj 319) 178 6.54 Mr Sean Feeney (Obj 123) 182 6.55 Additional Matters Raised In Objections Made By 184 Written Representations Merton College 184 Exeter College 184 Mr Robert Barbour 184 Scottish & Southern Energy plc 184 Freightliner 184 Southern Gas Networks plc 185 Ms B Forrow 185 The Fitness Company 185 Mr G Hill and others 185 Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council 185 Dr Ian East 185 Birch Sites Limited 186 Thames Water Utilities Limited 186 Dr R B Parekh 186 Ms D M North 186 Professor John Howson 186 Mr J M Henman 186 Mr P M Napier 186 Mr D R Davies 186 Hanson Quarry Products Europe Limited 187 Mark Richardson and David Richardson 188 Oxford City Council 188 Mrs E Henebury 189 Plumbase Limited 189 Oxfordshire County Council 189 Dr Rob Hope 191 Mr and Mrs Honour 191 Mr and Mrs E Williams 192 British Waterways Board 192 Mr and Mrs Unwin 193 Mr B Henman 194 Mr P Miller 194 Mr T Howard 196 Natural England 197 The Environment Agency 200 The Norman Trust and others 200 Mr D van Wijngaarden 201 Defence Estates 201 Cherwell District Council 202 D B Schenker Rail (UK) Limited 202 SS Philip and James’ School 202 Peter and Carol Jarvis 203 The Friends of the Trap Grounds 203 7 Other Representations Bicester Town Council 203 8 The Response Of Chiltern Railways 8.1 Need For The Scheme 203 8.2 Access to Trap Grounds Allotments 205 8.3 Noise and Vibration 209 8.4 Air Quality and Human Health 216 8.5 The Business Case 217 8.6 Safety 220 8.7 Human Rights 220 8.8 Suggested Modifications To The Railway Proposal 221 8.9 Road Traffic Implications of the Scheme 221 8.10 Mill Lane, Islip and Work No. 16 224 8.11 Ecological Effects 225 8.12 Mansmoor Road and Work No. 13 235 8.13 Langford Lane and Work No. 11 237 8.14 Other Crossings – Footpaths, Bridleways and 240 Private Accesses 8.15 Trains and Horses 243 8.16 Land at London Road, Bicester, and Land at 246 Langford Park Farm 8.17 Land At Gavray Drive, Bicester 247 8.18 Effects During Construction 249 8.19 Development Proposals At Water Eaton 250 8.20 Green Belt 255 8.21 Responses To Other Matters Raised In Objections 255 8.22 Proposed Modifications to the Draft Order 256 8.23 Proposed Modifications to the Book of Reference 257 8.24 Proposed Modifications to the Deposited Plans and 258 Sections 8.25 Proposed Modifications to the Planning Direction 259 Drawings 8.26 Modification to the Application for an Open Space 259 Certificate 8.27 Other Proposed Modifications to the Draft Order, 260 Deposited Plans and Sections, Planning Direction Drawings and Book of Reference 9 Conclusions 9.1 General Matters 261 9.2 Aims, Objectives And Need 262 9.3 Justification 265 9.4 Alternatives Considered 267 9.5 Funding 270 9.6 Order Modifications 272 9.7 Impacts On The Rights Of Way Network 273 Construction Effects on Road Traffic 273 Operational Effects on Road Traffic 274 Public Rights of Way and Level Crossing Closures 276 9.8 Impacts on Residents, Business and the 284 Environment Noise and Vibration 285 Air Quality 291 Water Resources and the Risk Of Flooding 297 Landscape and Visual Amenity 297 Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Remains 300 Land Use, Commercial Property and Agriculture 301 Open Space 307 9.9 Flora And Fauna 310 Protected Species 310 Nationally and Locally Designated Habitat 314 9.10 The Oxford Meadows SAC 315 9.11 Mitigation Measures 321 Code of Construction Practice 321 Mitigation Measures Proposed In The Design And 322 Access Statement Proposed Mitigation: Public Rights of Way: Section 322 5(6) of the Act Proposed Mitigation of Major or Significant 322 Environmental Impacts Adverse Environmental Impacts Remaining After 324 Mitigation 9.12 Environmental Statement 325 9.13 Issues Not Included In The Statement Of Matters 328 East West Rail 328 Defence Estates 328 Utility Companies 328 Bus Services 328 Railway Safety 329 Public Health 329 Freight Access 329 Wendlebury Gate Stables 329 College Farm, Wendlebury 330 Access to Trap Ground Allotments 331 Car Parking at Aristotle Lane 334 Trap Grounds Town Green 334 9.14 Green Belt 334 9.15 Consistency With National And Local Policies 338 9.16 Proposed Planning Conditions 341 9.17 The Case For Compulsory Purchase 341 9.18 Conclusion On The Draft Order 345 9.19 Conclusion On The Exchange Land Certificate 346 9.20 Conclusion on the Grant of Deemed Planning 347 Permission 10 Recommendations 347 Appendices 1 Recommended Planning Conditions 348 REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT AND FILE REF: TWA/10/APP/01 THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CASE DETAILS 1 Purpose The Order would enable The Chiltern Railway Company Limited to carry out works to the railway between Oxford and Bicester, and construct a new length of railway to connect the Oxford-Bicester line to the Bicester- London line so as to enable through trains to run from Oxford station to London (Marylebone) station.