Lye Valley - planning applications Lye Valley - main page
10 July 2022
Headington Heritage tweeted photos of the Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) being installed for the new housing development at Warren Crescent, with his condemnation 'MAD will lead to slope collapse'. In her retweet, Judy Webb commented: 'This SUDS soakaway/swale is in unstable made ground of builder's rubble & clay. All those trees will have had roots damaged in construction. Beyond trees is 8m steep drop to Lye Valley fen. Tree roots hold bank together. A risky & completely untested water run-off mitigation'. For tweet and photos, click here. For further information scroll down this page to 13/01555/CT3 LAND EAST OF WARREN CRESCENT OX3 7NQ |
Land West of 75 Town Furze OX3 7EW 3rd Planning Application 21/02639/FUL
Erection of 2 x 4 bed dwelling houses (Use Class C3). Provision of amenity space, car parking and bin stores. Associated landscaping, boundary treatments and ancillary works. Objections submitted by Committee of FoLV on 3 Nov 2021 re detrimental effects this development would have on the Lye Valley South fen. Details at Headington Heritage This application was called in by Councillors for consideration by the Planning Committee (rather than by delegation to Planning Officers). Decision PENDING 2nd Planning application (ref. 17/02437/FUL) for proposed development of 'Land west of 75 Town Furze*,' directly above the Lye Valley South Fen. Objection submitted 6 November 2017 by committee members of Friends of Lye Valley, including Judy (Chairman). *Location now shown as it was in May 2022. Earlier views have been removed from Google Streetview Consent refused by Oxford City Council's Planning Committee on 12 December 2017. Appeal against refusal dismissed 21 December 2018. Oxford Mail articles, 21 Nov 2017 and 22 Jan 2018 1st application: 16/00968/FUL submitted in April 2016 for: “Erection of 4 x 4 bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3). Erection of garage. Provision of private amenity space and car parking spaces” Application refused See Oxford Mail 11 Oct 2016 Objection from the Committee of the Friends of Lye Valley, 16 05 2016 FoLV disputed the claim, expressed by the agent for the development and reported in an Oxford Mail article, 20 May 2016 that "The hydrology for the area will not be changed in any form – it has been proven that this development won't have any effect on the reserve". FoLV contended:"There are no working successful examples of SUDS to protect critical spring flow and water chemistry to a calcareous alkaline valley-head spring-fen. No evidence or proof of successful functioning exists and this is required before general acceptance". See also Town Furze page of FoLV website 2 Dynham Place Oxford OX3 7NL 20/00463/FUL Erection of 2 x 3-bed semi-detached dwelling houses (Use Class C3). Provision of bin and cycle storage and alterations to landscaping. Approved 20 07 2021 See Decision
11 January 2021: The Committee of Friends of Lye Valley submitted further comments to Oxford City Council's Planning Department on the above planning application relating to 2 Dynham Place, mainly but not exclusively relating to additional information supplied by Stantec at the request of Natural England:
Extract from response from Natural England posted on Oxford City Council's website on 8 Oct 2020: 'As submitted, the application could have potential significant effects on Lye Valley SSSI. Natural England requires further information in order to determine the significance of these impacts and the scope for mitigation'. Objection from Friends of Lye Valley, 2 October 2020, relating to the new Hydrological Impact Assessment, Surface Water Management and Maintenance Plan’ by Stantec, Project Ref: 45340/5003 See Headington Heritage website: The Great Dam of Dynham, which gives a summary of the main objections raised and aerial views with the vulnerable catchment area of the North Fen SSSI (West and East Fens,) and in particular the West Fen, clearly marked.
Objection from Friends of the Lye Valley, 20 March 2020
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Friends of Lye Valley Proposed supplementary planning guidance for the Lye Valley and its water catchment
(Draft V10, May 2021) 4 Nov 2020 The Oxford Mail - Judy's letter expressing concern that Oxford City Council had no Sustainability Strategy to replace the one that expired that year
Consultation on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 Judy's submission 8 October 2021 asking for policies to protect the fens' vital green catchment areas Comment by Judy Webb, 20 Nov 2021:
I first saw the Lye Valley SSSI tiny south fen (0.5ha) in 2006.
I was searching for grass of Parnassus. I found only 22 flowers, site drying out and going under scrub. 12 yrs of grant-funding and volunteers' work and now 700 flowers, fen in wet & Favourable Condition Planning application 20/00463/FUL
Below: letter from Dr Judy Webb published in The Oxford Times on 26 March 2020, explaining why excavations for the proposed development of two three-bedroomed houses at 2 Dynham Place would cause irreparable damage to the fragile water supply to the Lye Valley fen' |
25 June 2022 Judy retweeted Stephanie Jenkins's photo of work underway on the new houses at Warren Crescent, with the comment: 'Sad to see the loss of another green space in Oxford, in this case, mostly on made ground of a tipped embankment, which has buried a spring zone and part of Lye Valley fen. Unsafe. Water quality testing in the adjacent remaining fen needs to start, pollutants may now mobilise'. See Stephanie's photo
13/01555/CT3 LAND EAST OF WARREN CRESCENT OX3 7NQ
Warren Meadow, the green space directly above the Lye Valley SSSI fen, besides being the local football and picnic area, is the crucial rainwater catchment and infiltration area for this fen. Development here would have a devastating effect on the fen, inflicting damage that could never be rectified. All those who campaigned to protect the Lye Valley are grateful for the support of those Councillors who voted against the application. Letter of objection, 06 08 2013 (pdf) submitted by Judy in relation to Planning application 13/01555/CT3, a development that would threaten the wildlife of the fens because the green area next to the site is in the catchment of the springs that feed the wetland SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the Local Wildlife Site fens immediately adjacent. See Oxford Mail articles: 13 Aug 2013 and 7 Sept 2013. The decision on this application was deferred at that time . Judy was interviewed by That's Oxford TV, on 27 October 2015 with regard to objections from local residents and Friends of Lye Valley. to this development Judy addressed the Full Council meeting of Oxford City Council on Monday, 7 December 2015, in relation to this planning application, which poses a threat to the wildlife of the Lye Valley fens because the green area next to the site is in the catchment of the springs that feed the wetland SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the Local Wildlife Site fens immediately adjacent. Friends of Lye Valley website has the text of this address Oxford City Council's East Area Planning Committee voted 5:4 in favour of the development on 3 February 2016. See BBC News 22 February 2016. On 30 March 2016 that decision was considered by the Planning Review Committee, who endorsed it by 7 votes to 2 (Cllrs Jean Fooks and Dick Wolff voted against) adding conditions relating to monitoring of water quality in the fen to assess the efficacy of the SuDS (sustainable drainage system) and an assurance that the City Council would remain financially responsible for maintaining the SuDS in perpetuity. For the minutes of the Planning Review Committee meeting, click here These include a list of the 27 conditions attached to the planning consent. Plan of proposed development Judy's sketch of the site in relation to the fen (shown at the meeting) On 7 March 2019 an amendment was approved. Email sent by Judy Webb to James Graham, the Project Officer for the development, on 4 August 2019, objecting that some of the Conditions had not yet been satisfactorily met. A letter from Judy Webb published in The Oxford Times on 7 November 2019 reiterated her concerns following a letter by Oxford City Councillor Mike Gotch (26 Sept 2019), who encouraged the Council to 'get on with the project' and refuted the Councillor's claims that the main threat to the Lye Valley was pollution from the Lye Brook (Judy said the Lye Brook was below the fen and therefore did not affect it) and that the development was a long way from the SSSI; (Judy said that was not the case). Building control plans (19/01160/PARTFP/A) submitted on 8 Nov 2019 were rejected on 20 Nov 2019. An application for a variation to Condition 2 to form a footpath at the rear of the site (20/00676/VAR) was received on 12 March 2020. At its (virtual) meeting on 5 August 2020 the East Area Planning Committee resolved to delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to approve the application. 6 August 2020: see Headington Heritage's Tweet and photos regarding the 10-house development on land on Warren Crescent (Planning Application 13/01555/CT3, already approved) directly adjacent to the Lye Valley. Headington Heritage website's Lye Valley page has photos of the area (Warren Meadow) that will be built on. The draft minutes of the East Area Planning Committee (virtual) meeting on 5 August 2020 state 'Cllr Lygo declared that he would take no part in this item as his involvement as ward councillor in discussions with residents, officers, and Friends of Lye Valley on the development gave a perception that he was not impartial. Cllr Roz Smith said she had previously been, but was no longer, a member of Friends of Lye Valley and was approaching the application with an open mind ... Cllr Simm lost connection at the end of the debate and did not vote'. Quoting from the minutes of that meeting: The East Area Planning Committee resolved to: 1. delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to approve application 20/00676/VAR for the reasons given in the report, following the expiry of the notice period of 21 days and completion of the appropriate certificate relating to the requisite serving of notice of the application, as required under the Town and County Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 and submitted drawings; and 2. delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services, after consultation with the Chair of the Committee, to finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and 3. delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services, after consultation with the Chair of the Committee, to decide whether to refer the application back to the East Area Planning Committee following the expiry of the notice period if considered reasonably necessary. Building work started on 10 houses on Warren Meadow (the grassland next to Warren Crescent) on 23 September 2019, the day details submitted in compliance with the final condition were approved. For further information on this planning application, see the separate Friends of Lye Valley website |
Letter by Judy Webb re
13/01555/CT3 published in The Oxford Mail 19 March 2021 Judy's map of the site showing the 'permissive footpath' |
LAND WEST OF 75 TOWN FURZE
16/00968/FUL Land West of 75 Town Furze, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 7EW - Planning application for four houses above the south fen Objection from the Committee of the Friends of Lye Valley, 16 05 2016 See also separate Friends of Lye Valley website and Oxford Mail article 21 May 2016 The objection lodged by the Friends of Lye Valley disputed the claim, expressed by the agent for the development and reported in the above Oxford Mail article, that "The hydrology for the area will not be changed in any form – it has been proven that this development won't have any effect on the reserve". FoLV contended:"There are no working successful examples of SUDS to protect critical spring flow and water chemistry to a calcareous alkaline valley-head spring-fen. No evidence or proof of successful functioning exists and this is required before general acceptance". Planning application (ref. 17/02437/FUL) for proposed development of 'Land west of 75 Town Furze,' directly above the Lye Valley South Fen. Objection submitted 6 November 2017 by committee members of Friends of Lye Valley, including Judy (Chairman). Consent refused by Oxford City Council's Planning Committee on 12 December 2017. Appeal against refusal dismissed 21 December 2018. See Town Furze page of FoLV website Oxford Mail articles, 21 Nov 2017 and 22 Jan 2018 |
OXFORD LOCAL PLAN 2016 - 2036
Friends of Lye Valley response to Oxford City Council Consultation on Preferred Options 2017 Oxfordshire County Council Consultation on Draft Local Transport Plan 2015-2031 March 2015 in relation to the suggested Alternative Line 3 alignment for a super-premium bus route in the Eastern Arc, which would have damaging effects on the Lye Valley fen. Oxford Mail, 13 March 2015 "New bus route planned across nature reserve and golf course" Judy's response, 24 May 2016, as a member of the Floodplain Meadows Study Group and Oxfordshire Flora Group of the Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire (ANHSO) to Oxfordshire County Council's proposals 'Investing in the A40', The new transport plan included a bus route from the Churchill Hospital to Hollow Way passing across the Lye Valley and the fairways of the Oxford Golf Club. Judy's response to Oxford County Council consultation, 25 March 2015 Oxford University Old Road Campus &Park Hospital site: Big Data Institute and Amenities Building Judy's response to 2nd consultation, 07 04 2014. Documents relating to the suggested development of Southfield Golf Course:
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