Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Development Management

Purpose of report

To advise Members of the potential to acquire land south of Vendee Drive at Bicester, and to enable the consideration of the options for the future use of the land. The land is identified in the Submission Cherwell Local Plan as a Green Buffer (ESD15) and as a potential location for community woodland (BIC7). The    land is currently owned by Countryside Properties who are developing North of   Vendee Drive at Kingsmere (SW Bicester).

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To agree that the council seeks to acquire the land South of Vendee Drive as part of the S106 Agreement connected to the planning application for Phase 2 Kingsmere.

1.2         To agree that discussions take place with Chesterton Parish Council and Bicester Town Council over the future use of the land for informal recreational purposes.

Resolved

(1)          That it be agreed that the council seeks to acquire the land South of Vendee Drive as part of the S106 Agreement connected to the planning application for Phase 2 Kingsmere.

(2)          That it be agreed that discussions take place with Chesterton Parish Council and Bicester Town Council over the future use of the land for informal recreational purposes.

The Head of Development Management submitted a report which advised of the potential to acquire land south of Vendee Drive at Bicester, and to enable the consideration of the options for the future use of the land. The land was identified in the Submission Cherwell Local Plan as a Green Buffer (ESD15) and as a potential location for community woodland (BIC7). The land was currently owned by Countryside Properties who were developing North of Vendee Drive at Kingsmere (SW Bicester).

Resolved

(1)          That it be agreed that the council seeks to acquire the land South of Vendee Drive as part of the S106 Agreement connected to the planning application for Phase 2 Kingsmere.

(2)          That it be agreed that discussions take place with Chesterton Parish Council and Bicester Town Council over the future use of the land for informal recreational purposes.

Reasons

The potential to control the future of the Green Buffer south of Vendee Drive, through ownership of the land, is attractive and could secure long term the gap between Bicester and Chesterton as undeveloped land and an attractive rural setting.

The land has the potential to be a significant recreational asset for the area and a community woodland would widen the recreational resources for the area. The uncertainty about the availability of the land has to date restricted the progress on developing proposals and seeking funding. Once there is certainty it would be possible to progress proposals with more certainty.

If for any reason the community woodland proposal did not progress the land could continue in agricultural use and this option would minimize risk and costs to the land owner whilst maintaining the land undeveloped.

Other recreational or land uses compatible with keeping the land open could be considered if proposals for the community woodland did not progress but would require time to explore and develop to see if they were viable.

Alternative Options

Option 1: The developer retains ownership of the land. Whilst the land is currently farmed there would be the potential for further planning applications to be made in the future. Whilst the Council is likely to be the planning authority some decisions are made on appeal and therefore this would not provide the level of certainty over future use.

Option 2: Transfer land direct to Chesterton Parish Council. This would necessitate the Parish Council being a party to the S106 agreement and would require them to work to agreed timescales for completion of the agreement and if this was not achieved it would delay the issue of planning permission. A transfer to the Council would not preclude onward transfer to the Parish or a lease arrangement.