Title: Godswell Park, Bloxham
Author: Rebecca Horley
Last saved by: Lewis Knox
Company: Cherwell District Council

Bicester Eco Town Exemplar Site
Banbury Road
Bicester

17/00223/DISC

Case Officer: | Caroline Ford | Recommendation: Approve
Applicant: | A2 Dominion Group
Proposal: | Discharge condition 31 (landscape design scheme) of 10/01780/HYBRID
Expiry Date: | 3 July 2017 | Extension of Time: |

1.	APPLICATION SITE AND LOCALITY 

1.1.	Bicester Eco Town Exemplar site was granted planning permission (reference 10/01780/HYBRID) for 393 residential dwellings, a primary school, commercial and retail units.  The exemplar site is a development that constitutes part of the larger North West Bicester Eco town, located on the eastern edge.  
2.	DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
2.1.	The current application seeks to discharge condition 31 (Landscape Design Scheme) of 10/01780/HYBRID.
3.	RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY

3.1.	The following planning history is considered relevant to the current proposal:
Application Ref. | Proposal | Decision
10/01780/HYBRID | Development of Exemplar phase of NW Bicester Eco Town to secure full planning permission for 393 residential units and an energy centre (up to 400 square metres), means of access, car parking, landscape, amenity space and service infrastructure and outline permission for a nursery of up to 350 square metres (use class D2), a community centre of up to 350 square metres (sui generis), 3 retail units of up to 770 square metres (including but not exclusively a convenience store, a post office and a pharmacy (use class A1)), an Eco-Business Centre of up to 1,800 square metres (use class B1), office accommodation of up to 1,100 square metres (use class B1), an Eco-Pub of up to 190 square metres (use class A4), and a primary school site measuring up to 1.34 hectares with access and layout to be determined. | Application Permitted

4.	RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION

4.1.	Below is a summary of the consultation responses received at the time of writing this report. Responses are available to view in full on the Council’s website, via the online Planning Register.
CDC ARBORICULTURE
4.2.	No Comments Received 
L	ANDSCAPE SERVICES
4.3.	We normally never agree to utilities under a play area, such as in this case due to maintenance of such features disrupting play development value for children
5.	APPRAISAL

5.1.	Condition 31 requires a scheme for the landscape design while condition 33 requires details of the provision, landscaping and treatment of open space/play space within the phase, prior to commencement
5.2.	This condition was initially discharged under application ref: 13/00249/DISC. Works carried out since as part of the Infrastructure Works Phase; including the provision of services through this corridor; have had an impact on the trees proposed along the Spine Road and therefore the positioning of some trees have had to be moved along with a small number of trees needing to be removed.
5.3.	Most details were confirmed within a meeting between officer and applicant, with the re-positioning of a tree from outside Plot 249 to Plot 252 being detailed on the submitted plans with this application.
5.4.	It is confirmed that the detailing for the positioning of the trees is acceptable in accordance with the submitted plans. The concept for a tree lined spine road was an important part of the original permission therefore the repositioning and minimal loss of trees continues to retain that concept. 
5.5.	The concerns of the landscape officer are noted but this does not have a bearing on what is being approved through this discharge of conditions. The location of services is a matter dealt with by restricting them under play areas in the section 106, therefore this matter will be picked up separately.
6.	PLANNING BALANCE AND CONCLUSION
6.1.	In my view the details submitted pursuant to condition 31 of planning permission 10/01780/HYBRID are acceptable, and such it is recommended that this condition is re-discharged.

7.	RECOMMENDATION
Condition 31
The details of the landscape design scheme for the Infrastructure Phase through phase 2 Only, as shown in the drawing numbers: Job Number 15-1859 Drawing Numbers 45-1 Rev C10, 45-2 Rev C10, 45-3 Rev C11, 45-4 Rev AC3 
(For the avoidance of doubt the submitted plans are approved for the purposes of condition 31 in respect to the position of trees along the spine road only)

Case Officer: | Caroline Ford | DATE: 21/09/17
Checked By: | | DATE: