Agenda item

P18/V3102/CM - North of the A420 Botley Road to south of the A423 ring road

A flood alleviation scheme to reduce flood risk in Oxford.

Minutes:

The committee considered the county-matter application P18/V3102/CM for a flood alleviation scheme to reduce flood risks around Oxford, on land north of the A420 Botley Road to the south of the A423 ring road. 

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting. 

 

In an update, the officer circulated a written update setting out the planning committee’s comments previously submitted to Oxfordshire County Council, which were different to those set out in the officer’s report.  The officer reported further representations from The Group Against Reservoir Development, expressing concerns at the application, the council’s drainage engineer raising no objection, and from the council’s countryside officer raising an objection.  The officer also amended the wording of the recommendation, without changing the principle that there was no objection to the application. 

 

The committee concurred with the officer’s recommendations, subject to ensuring a condition to control noise during construction by limiting the hours of work. 

 

A motion, moved and seconded, to raise no objection to the county matter application, subject to conditions, was declared carried on being put to the vote. 

 

RESOLVED: to approve the following comments for submission to Oxfordshire County Council on application P18/V3102/CM: 

 

1.         This council has no objection in principle to this proposal.

 

2.         This authority is not convinced that the proposal results in a net gain in biodiversity. It is considered the applicant has under estimated the timescales for proposed habitat creation to reach good condition. For example, dense and continuous scrub will take at least 10 years to reach good condition rather than 5 years, broad leaved woodland will take 30+ years to reach good condition rather than 10 years, semi improved grassland will take 20 years to reach good condition rather than 5 years, and species rich hedgerows will take 15 years to reach good condition rather than 5 years.

 

Applying these changes alone to the Biodiversity Impact Calculator results in a net loss of at least 81 biodiversity units. On this basis the proposal is contrary to core policy 46 of the Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 Part 1.

 

The applicant should be asked to revise the scheme to ensure it can provide biodiversity enhancements and that revised proposals are supported by a further Biodiversity Impact Calculator.

 

3.         With regard to culvert work beneath the A423 this council is concerned that 24 hour working could result in unreasonable noise disturbance for local residents. The Environment Agency should be asked to provide further information demonstrating that there will be no detrimental impact to the living conditions of local residents.

 

If the applicant is unable to demonstrate or unwilling to demonstrate that 24 hour working would not have a detrimental on residential living conditions, this authority requests that a condition is imposed restricting working to 07:30-18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00-13:00 on a Saturday; and no work to take place on Sundays or Public Holiday.

 

4.         Should the County Council be minded to approve the application at least the following planning conditions should be imposed to require:

(i)        Implementation of the landscaping and it’s maintenance. 

(ii)       Restrict working to 07:30-18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00-13:00 on a Saturday; and no work to take place on Sundays or Public Holiday.

(iii)      Require a Construction Environmental Management Plan to be agreed. 

(iv)      Require a Construction Traffic Management Plan to be agreed. 

(v)       The developer to notify the County Council of the presence of any unsuspected contamination encountered during the development. In the event of any contamination to the land and/or water being encountered, no development shall continue until a programme of investigation and/or remedial works to include methods of monitoring and certification of such works undertaken has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

(vi)      Revised bridge designs be sought for the Willow Walk and Devil’s Backbone bridges. The bridges should have a maximum width of 5.5m and the finished surface treatments should be first approved by Oxfordshire County Council. 

Supporting documents:

 

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