Issue - meetings

Cabinet, at its meeting on 3 February 2023, considered the attached report of the head of planning on the adoption of a revised Local Development Order for Milton Park.    

Cabinet made recommendations to council as set out below.

RECOMMENDATION: to adopt the Milton Park Local Development Order, as set out in Appendix 1 to the head of planning’s report to Cabinet on 3 February 2023, subject to completion of a legal agreement securing the elements referred to in paragraph 24 of the report. 

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations made at its meeting on 3 February 2023 on the proposed revised local development order for Milton Park. 

Cabinet had welcomed the revised Local Development Order and the aims of the owners to further improve Milton Park. 

RESOLVED:to adopt the Milton Park Local Development Order, as set out in Appendix 1 to the head of planning’s report to Cabinet on 3 February 2023, subject to completion of a legal agreement securing the elements referred to in paragraph 24 of the report. 

To consider the head of planning’s report.  Appendix 1 is contained in a separate supplement to this agenda. 

Cabinet considered the head of planning’s report on a revised Local Development Order for Milton Park.  The report sought Cabinet’s agreement to recommend Council to adopt a revised Local Development Order, subject to completion of a legal agreement. 

The Cabinet member responsible for planning services recommended that Cabinet supported the revised Local Development Order for Milton Park.  It was a major employment location in the district and formed part of the Science Vale Enterprise Zone.  The site had been awarded a local development order in 2012, which was now under review.  The site’s owners had developed a 2040 vision for the park.  The site was not being extended but there were some changes proposed such as a 10 per cent net gain and increases permitted to the heights of buildings on parts of the site nearest to the railway line.  There would also be some ancillary uses to support the users of the site.  The revised Local Development Order had been subject to consultation; there were no technical objections outstanding.  However, some local concerns had been expressed about other uses of the site, such as car dealerships, changing the nature of the park.  It was confirmed that the car dealership uses were confined to the part of the site south of the railway. 

Cabinet welcomed the revised Local Development Order and the aims of the owners to further improve Milton Park.  Ecology surveys would be required, and all new development must be BREEAM compliant, an environmental standard of building design.  There would be electric vehicle charging points, secure cycle parking and e-bikes, together with improved bus links.  There were also plans to improve cycle and walking links, such as a new link to Steventon.  Members supported these initiatives as they replicated the climate aims of the council’s corporate plan.  However, members asked the park’s owners to develop their green travel plans further to provide cycle links to Abingdon and also walking and cycling links to the new development at Valley Park. 

RECOMMENDED to Council:

to adopt the Milton Park Local Development Order, as set out in Appendix 1 to the head of planning’s report to Cabinet on 3 February 2023, subject to completion of a legal agreement securing the elements referred to in paragraph 24 of the report.