16/01973/FUL

Canterbury House 393 Cowley Road Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 2BS

10 October 2016

Change of use of Canterbury House, Adams House and Rivera House from Class B1(a) office use to 48 student study rooms and ancillary facilities. Full planning permission for the erection of a three storey building to provide 30 further student rooms and ancillary facilities.

We have concerns at the volume of student housing developments which are being introduced, of which this is typical, the effects of these on the character of the local neighbourhood and the city as a whole, the effects of these on the higher-priority requirements of the two Universities, and the consents to such development proposals in the apparent absence of clear understanding of the total numbers of students in the city, and the differentiation as between ages, nature of studies establishment affiliation etc. These issues should be carefully considered before any consent is granted. Notwithstanding the proposed provision of cycle parking for residents in excess of the standards set by current Council policy, it is clear that these standards are now obsolete, and the provision is likely to be inadequate to meet demand, particularly in the light of the stated intentions of both the City Council and the County Council (as Transport Authority) to take measures to increase cycling; there is also an absence of provision of cycle parking for visitors to the development. We would endorse the comments made by Oxfordshire County Council regarding conditions to be applied to any consent which might be granted.