Agenda item

Report of Head Planning and Affordable Housing Policy

Summary

To report on the responses received to the consultation draft Planning Brief incorporating Informal Development Principles and Management Guidelines and to seek approval of the amended document.    To consider the manner in which the site is being disposed of and to comment upon that.  To seek the engagement of Defence Estates and English Heritage in the joint preparation of Management Guidelines for the flying field and technical site.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       to note the responses received to the draft document and to approve the content of the amended document for publication

(2)       to express its concern to the Ministry of Defence that the maintenance of the buildings on the technical site has not been undertaken in accordance with the DCMS protocol

(3)       to express its concern to the Ministry of Defence at the extent to which the disposal of this site has been undertaken in a manner contrary to the DCMS protocol, in particular with respect to a comprehensive approach to securing the future of the whole of the heritage asset

(4)       to invite Defence Estates and English Heritage to engage fully and quickly in the process of drawing up Management Guidelines for the flying field and Technical site to ensure that these are agreed prior to the sale.

Agreed, with the amendment that officers be requested to look at the inclusion of public art and whether this conflicts with the conservation objectives on this site.

The Head of Planning and Affordable Housing Policy submitted a report on the responses received to the consultation draft Planning Brief incorporating Informal Development Principles and Management Guidelines.

Resolved

1)                 That the responses received to the draft document be noted and the contents of the amended document for publication be approved, with the amendment that officers be requested to look at the inclusion of public art and whether this conflicts with the conservation objectives on this site.

2)                 That concern be expressed to the Ministry of Defence that the maintenance of the buildings on the technical site has not been undertaken in accordance with the DCMS protocol

3)                 That concern be expressed to the Ministry of Defence at the extent to which the disposal of this site has been undertaken in a manner contrary to the DCMS protocol, in particular with respect to a comprehensive approach to securing the future of the whole of the heritage asset

4)                 That Defence Estates and English Heritage be invitedto engage fully and quickly in the process of drawing up Management Guidelines for the flying field and Technical site to ensure that these are agreed prior to the sale.

Reasons – RAF Bicester comprises the flying field and technical site, east of Buckingham Road, and the domestic site and former officers’ and airmen’s housing, west of Buckingham Road. Some of the housing is occupied by USAF personnel based at Croughton and some has been sold off on the open market.  It is described by English Heritage as “the best preserved bomber airfield dating from the period up to 1945”.  The flying field, technical site, domestic site, the former officer mess (now a care home) and some of the early housing (but not the later housing) is designated a conservation area and there are 41 grade ll listed buildings and sixteen areas designated as Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

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