Park Road, Didcot

South Oxfordshire District Council, yesterday resolved to grant consent for a scheme of 154 dwellings at Park Road, Didcot.

Whilst the 5 ha site is part of the larger Great Western Park scheme, the original outline permission did not envisage residential development on the application site until 2019 at the earliest. However, following discussions with the Local Authority it was successfully argued that development could come forward ahead of the Great Western Park phasing plan. This would provide material benefits, including 40% affordable housing, improved public transport as well as a comprehensive Section 106 package providing benefit to both the existing and proposed residents.

In order to secure the earlier release of this site, detailed discussions and negotiations were undertaken with the Local Authority, County Highways, Environment Agency and other bodies. This level of discussion and cooperation was commended by members of the Planning Committee.

As well as project managing the full application on behalf of Bloor Homes (Western), Boyer Planning coordinated and submitted an Environmental Statement which had to consider the potential environmental effects of development firstly in isolation from GWP, secondly in advance of approved phasing programme and also the cumulative effect of the two schemes.