We have submitted a further comment (our third), this time on the proposed porous paving, to the planning authority today. You can download it here.
Author Archives: rawcy
Application by Oxford City Council to extend Seacourt Park & Ride
Application by Oxford City Council to extend Seacourt Park & Ride (Oxford City Planning application no. 16/02745/CT3).
We are strongly opposed to this application to build a car park extension right in the Oxford floodplain.
Our key points are:
Inappropriate development in the floodplain – contrary to Oxford City Council Core Strategy, CS2 – this is a greenfield site. It is also contrary to City Council Core Strategy 11 – it is neither ‘essential infrastructure’ nor ‘a water compatible structure’.
Not consistent with national planning policy framework (NPPF) guidelines.
Inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
A planning application for a similar scheme on the same site was rejected by the Secretary of State in 1999. Planning law has become tighter since.
County Transport Strategy envisages new P&R sites at Cumnor and Eynsham over the next few years; the present proposal is at variance with that. Traffic coming off the A34 and A420 may face increased delays in reaching the P&R.
Flood-risk assessment flawed:
- fails to note the serious floods since 2008
- does not properly consider the frequency with which this low lying site actually floods, which is often (it’s functional floodplain)
- permeable pavement recommended only slows run-off when flood event are so low risk it’s irrelevant. As soon as a significant flood event starts to develop the car park will be under water.
Emergency evacuation plan is inadequate and lacks detail. The site is at high risk of flooding, being 0.5-1 m lower than the existing car park. There is a significant risk to vehicles and people during a flood event: any emergency plan has to be very robust. Extra resources could be needed from already stretched emergency services. In a 1 in 100 flood the water would be 2m deep.
The ground is subject to movement and would require further investigation to see if remediable stabilisation would even work.
The site itself may be damaged by prolonged or severe flooding, even with surfaces broken and swept away. The fences proposed for the perimeter of the 2 ha site, and structures on the site, would be very vulnerable in a large scale flood.
The proposed permeable surface will be impaired by silt and other debris: it will require cleaning which may or may not restore its permeability. After prolonged flooding such paving may even have to be replaced (in early 2014 this site would have been under a significant depth of water for several months).
If fences, structures on the site, and cars were swept away they could end up blocking the nearby Seacourt which is a vital flood channel.
The proposal does not take proper account of the latest plans for the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme in this area.
The rationale for this extension being needed is that the present car park cannot be given a decking storey because of a covenant on the land. No such covenant has been produced by the applicant and we cannot find one. What there is is a lease agreement, with could potentially be varied by negotiation with the landlord, which could make this whole scheme unnecessary.
Oxford is at risk of flooding. The principle of not building on greenfield sites in the floodplain must be adhered to.
These reasons are set out in more detail in the following documents submitted to the planning authority, Oxford City Council (links download pdfs).
We are working hard to get our message across to the decision makers and to other people who may wish to comment. If you agree with us that this development should not be allowed to go ahead please do say so via the Oxford City planning website or speak to your local City Councillor.
Our “2016” Annual Public Meeting – in Feb 2017
We hold an Annual Public Meeting, which has been in November up to now. This makes it close to the annual Oxford Area Flood Partnership meeting and the two have increasingly overlapped in content. We decided then that our “2016” meeting would be better held later. It will be on Wednesday 22 February 2017 at 7pm for 7.30. The venue as before, the Demos’ Club on Osney Island, Oxford. We will have speakers from the Environment Agency (on the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme), Thames Water (on their sewer survey) and Network Rail (on their track raising, waterway clearance and culvert installation). Everybody is very welcome.
New flood advice website
Oxfordshire County Council, our Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), have just launched a new flood website which should be very useful, providing a single place where people can go for advice. The link is https://www.oxfordshirefloodtoolkit.com.
The Oxford Mail has an article on it http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14942940.FLOOD_victim_who_fortified_his_home_urges_others_to_use_new_council_online___39_toolkit__39_/
Raising the line at Stroud’s
Network Rail have begun work to raise the track at Stroud’s bridge under the railway, just south of the old Abingdon road.
‘Oxford and the Thames: a national hotspot for freshwater wildlife’
Talk on 29 June by Jeremy Biggs of the Freshwater Habitats Trust
Jeremy Biggs gave an interesting and inspiring talk, ‘Oxford and the Thames: a national hotspot for freshwater wildlife’, in South Hinksey yesterday; it was well attended by professionals and members of the public alike.
The overall message was that the Oxford area, including (but much wider than) the area of the OFAS channel, is of relatively high quality (on a national scale) for freshwater wildlife. Nevertheless, there have been local extinctions and a gradual decline over the last century. Clean, unpolluted water is vital to any attempt to reverse the decline.
A lively discussion followed.
To make the most of the possible environmental enhancements from the OFAS scheme more detailed proposals will be developed. More could be achieved if additional, separate funding could be obtained. Such work could make a contribution to reversing the gradual decline and enable lessons to be learnt as to how to do this best.
Oxford FAS June newsletter
Click here for the June 2016 Oxford FAS newsletter.
Public meeting – Oxford FAS proposed route to be unveiled
The preferred route for the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme will be unveiled tomorrow at Oxford Town Hall at a drop-in event open to all.
A talk: Oxford and the Thames – a national hotspot for freshwater wildlife
Later this month, Dr Jeremy Biggs of the Freshwater Habitats Trust will be giving a talk at South Hinksey Village Hall, on Wednesday 29 June at 2pm titled Oxford and the Thames: a national hotspot for freshwater wildlife, in association with the Oxford Flood Alliance.
He’ll look at what makes the Oxford area a national hotspot for freshwater wildlife, what problems freshwaters in the area face and what the solutions are. He’ll consider what the impact of the new flood channel could be and how it could help reverse the century-long decline in the areas freshwaters. There is more information at http://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/oxford-and-the-thames-a-national-hotspot/ or in the flyer Oxford and the Thames_talk flyer_Jun16 FINAL.
The talk is free and anyone may attend but space is limited so if you think you would like to come along please let Jo Fever at Freshwater Habitats know so we can try and ensure there is space for all: info@freshwaterhabitats.org.uk or phone 01865 595505.
Cambridge ‘Moisture in Buildings’ conference
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- Adrian Porter speaking at the Property Care Association conference in Cambridge.
Following an invitation from Steve Hodgson of the Property Care Association, Adrian Porter of OFA spoke at their ‘Moisture in Buildings’ conference in Cambridge on 12 May 2016. Adrian writes:
‘It was interesting to be able to inform the building trade of the direct benefit that their work can have on consumers, from a very personal perspective, and also how they and the insurance industry need to collaborate to enable homeowners to make the right decision on property level protection.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only do the PCA acknowledge the need to improve standards across the building sector, but also that their members are hugely passionate about resolving the problems created by poor workmanship once and for all, for each homeowner.’
Delegate comments and the presentations can be found here:
http://www.property-care.org/annual-conference-2016/review-conference-moisture-buildings/
oxford flood alliance 