Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/078

Contact: Hugh Potter, Team Leader – Area Operations Hub Tel: (01865) 810028

Report by Director for Infrastructure Delivery (CMDE5).

The report considers objections received as a result of formal consultation on proposals to introduce new Disabled Persons’ Parking Places (DPPP) at various locations in Cherwell District and Oxford City. The report also considers proposed restoration of residents and visitors parking permits to Wingfield House, 2A Gathorne Road, Headington, Oxford, following a successful planning appeal.  

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed changes, as set out in the report CMDE5.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE5) objections received as a result of formal consultation on proposals to introduce new Disabled Persons’ Parking Places (DPPP) at various locations in Cherwell District and Oxford City and the proposed restoration of residents and visitors parking permits to Wingfield House, 2A Gathorne Road, Headington, Oxford, following a successful planning appeal.  

Julian Philcox referred to the independent Planning Inspector’s appeal in February 2017. Based on sound and robust evidence provided by JP Planning Ltd and, importantly, Oxfordshire County Council as Local Highway Authority as part of the ‘Access to Headington’ background work that evidence had assessed both the status quo (the position on the ground at the time of evidence collection) and the position should the Access to Headington proposals come forward. Both scenarios had shown more than adequate capacity on-street to cater for the provision of permits to residents of Wingfield House. Furthermore S288 of the Town & Country Planning Act allowed for a legal challenge via the High Court within 6 weeks of the Inspector’s decision. No such challenge had been made.  He added that the results of the Parking Stress survey evidence of the County Council showed significant underutilisation of on-street parking spaces in the vicinity as evidenced in a report by the then Deputy Director of Environment & Economy (Strategy) to the Cabinet Member for Environment meeting of 9 June 2016. He urged the Cabinet Member to have regard to the above and endorse the recommendation of county officers.

James Larminnie on behalf of Cyclox opposed restoration of permits. To do so would have severe environmental consequences, which he felt had not been fully considered and that any moves to increase traffic went against the Council’s own environmental policies. Increased traffic meant increased parking in cycle lanes. That made cycling less enjoyable and less safe. Approving restoration of permits set a dangerous precedent and needed to be resisted.

Frank Murray a local resident opposed restoration or permits. Regretting the need to make representations at all at this stage he felt the CPZ should have prevented this situation occurring and agreeing proposals to restore permits would have ramifications for other CPZs. He was appalled that this decision had been based on a 1 day investigation and poor photographic evidence.  Parking had become a very sensitive issue and to introduce additional vehicles into an already saturated area such as Gathorne Road and St Anne’s Road was difficult to contemplate. There was a lot of opposition to this which needed to be taken into account.

Valerie Seagrott a resident of Gathorne Road drew attention to the parking pressures locally which led to illegal parking on corners. Double yellow lines had been placed outside her house for safety reasons yet were ignored. That implied to her that there was not enough space now let alone if more traffic were introduced. Gathorne Road had a lot of families with children living there. They needed to park close to their homes and it was wrong to inconvenience them. It was hard to accept that there was any capacity for more parking and it was clear to her that the developers were playing the system. She opposed restoration but if it went ahead it should be postponed until further surveys had been carried out after completion of Access to Headington.

Geoff Sutton a governor of Windmill school and local resident had been appalled by the Planning Inspector’s decision which he felt was flawed. He felt the Inspector had been misled by evidence put before him and that residents had not been listened to. The situation locally had not been investigated thoroughly with night time surveys carried out by residents ignored. The current 18 spaces in Gathorne Road were usually gone by late afternoon and to increase the pressure by 30% and possibly as much as 60% was unthinkable.  An earlier county council email which he had seen had indicated a change would not be supported but that had now been reversed.

Peter West spoke on behalf of Gathorne Road and St Anne’s Road residents association. Referring to evidence of daytime surveys he emphasised that the main problem, however, occurred at night and although requests had been made for the Inspector to consider surveys for both day and night the latter, in his opinion, had not been carried out adequately enough. The principle concern locally was that parking issues were causing huge problems in the community which would only worsen if permits were restored.

City Councillor Altaf Khan endorsed the comments expressed by local residents all of whom would be wholly disadvantaged if permits were restored. Wingfield House had originally been approved as a car free development and that should remain the case. Permits were currently being sold to commuters and the pressure on Headington was immense. This was a landmark decision and restoration of permits for this development should be resisted.

County Councillor John Sanders (Labour Group spokesperson for Environment) expressed concern regarding any precedent that might be set if the Inspector’s decision was upheld and the damage that would be done to the principle of car free development particularly bearing in mind the potential for the development of 1,000 car free units proposed in the Cowley area.

Councillor Roz Smith supported the City Council’s original decision to make this a car fee development. She recognised this was a difficult decision but if the officer recommendation was supported then it would be in the face of a great deal of current Council policy.  She accepted that sale of permits did happen and that was a situation that was difficult to enforce and police. She thanked the speakers for the points raised in opposition and regretted that no challenge had been made to the Inspector’s decision. She did not consider that the Lambeth methodology had been followed insofar as surveys had not been undertaken at the correct times. The Inspector had not referred to parking stress and she reiterated the point that supporting his decision could mean extra parking provision of up to 60%.  That was not safe in the current situation. The developer had been happy with the original car free permission and that should be the case going forward.

The Cabinet Member noted a written statement received from Richard Stoneman opposing the application for the restoration of residents’ permits at Wingfield House and reiterating points raised by other speakers.

With regard to the element of the report regarding provision of disabled persons parking spaces in Cherwell and Oxford officers confirmed that with regard to the proposal for High Street, Hook Norton it was now apparent that there was no longer any genuine need for that space and that their recommendation now was to withdraw proposed provision.

Having regard to the information set out in the report and the representations made to her at the meeting the Cabinet Member for Environment was not minded to make a change to the status for Wingfield House to allow restoration of eligibility for parking permits. She also accepted the amended officer recommendation with regard to not proceeding with the disabled parking space in High Street, Hook Norton and confirmed her decision as follows:

(a)          not approve restoration of eligibility for parking permits for Wingfield House, 2A Gathorne Road, Oxford;

(b)          approve disabled persons parking spaces at Gillett Close and Ruscote Avenue, both Banbury and Spindleberry Close, Oxford but not High Street, Hook Norton.

Signed……………………………………

Cabinet member for Environment

Date of signing…………………………