Oxford City Council approves University of Oxford planning permission

Last night at Oxford City Council’s planning committee meeting, the council unanimously approved two planning applications that had been submitted by the University of Oxford.

The first application approved means that an existing graduate accommodation site at Court Place Gardens, between Iffley and Rose Hill, can be knocked down.

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After the existing blocks, which currently contain 36 residential dwellings, are demolished, the university will build new homes in its place.

The new blocks will allow for more students to be housed, as it will provide a total of 71 two-bed and three-bedroom houses.

The properties are suitable for post-graduates and their families – at the university currently, 51 per cent of the student population are post-grads.

There were some concerns raised in the meetings, namely from residents in the area.

One individual, whose home is near the existing site, said the new site would result in less natural light reaching his kitchen.

Resident group, Friends of Iffley Village echoed concerns about the loss of light to those living close to the university accommodation.

Councillors acknowledge the concerns at the meeting, however, highlighted how ‘grim’ the current accommodation buildings (built in the 1970s) are and praised the university’s plans to create sustainable homes.

The second application submitted by the university sought approval for a 4,500 square meter global health centre.

The site at Old Road Campus on Roosevelt Drive, to be dubbed the Institute for Global Health, is being built to help assist the university continue to expand its medical research.

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It will provide office, research, and teaching spaces.
It will also provide a base for the University’s Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health to collaborate with the Nuffield Department of Population Health.

At present, the site is occupied by a car park, with a public right of way running through it – the new plans will result in a loss of car parking space.

Outline planning permission was initially granted in 2013, however, full planning permission for the site was granted at last night’s council meeting.

There were no public objections to the university’s plans.

Councillors voted unanimously to give the green light to the project.