banbury - bodicote parish council

Urban & Landscape Design

BANBURY CANALSIDE

Supplementary Planning DocumentConsultation Booklet

January 2018

Introduction

Cherwell District Council is producing a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the regeneration of the Canalside site in Banbury and through a questionnaire is seeking people’s views on how this can be achieved. Information about how to make comments is at the end of this booklet. The results of the questionnaire will inform a draft of the SPD, which will be published for public consultation later in the year.

The document will contain a masterplan, development principles and requirements for any future planning applications for the site, which is located between the railway station and town centre. The delivery of the site is important in achieving the vision for the wider town which includes the expansion of Castle Quay shopping centre.

Previous Consultation

The adopted Cherwell Local Plan for the wider district already aims to change this area of the town to provide 700 new homes (see policy Banbury 1). However, there is an opportunity to shape the detailed masterplan. The Local Plan is available on-line at https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/

The Council produced a draft Supplementary Planning Document for the site in 2009 for public consultation which helped inform the Local Plan. We now wish to engage with landowners, existing businesses, other key stakeholders and the local community on the future plans for Canalside.

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Policy Banbury 1: Banbury Canalside

Banbury 1

(c) Crown copyright and database right 2015. Ordnance Survey 100018504

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Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1336

Banbury Inset Maps

1

Policy Banbury 1

The Site

Canalside extends to approximately 26 hectares with the River Cherwell and Oxford Canal running through the site. There are areas that are vacant, derelict and underused and there is potential to relocate employment uses and develop the land for new homes. The site could play an important role in improving connectivity between the railway station and the town centre.

Vision

The Canalside site has the potential to become a vibrant, well-designed, urban quarter for Banbury containing new homes, shops and businesses. There is an opportunity to enhance the canal and river corridor to form a natural ‘green lung’ through the site and beyond.

Railway Station

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Bridge Street

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Developing the Masterplan Framework

The Canalside Supplementary Planning Document will build on the Local Plan and the completed Banbury Vision & Masterplan to form a detailed Masterplan Framework.

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Draft Masterplan Framework

3

What type of housing should be provided and where

on the site?

Key Development Principles and Issues

The following key development principles are based on those in the Local Plan policy for Banbury Canalside. The proposals must be directed by the Local Plan but the SPD will refine these principles, informed by public and stakeholder consultation.

What type of housing should be provided and where?

The Local Plan provides for approximately 700 new homes at Canalside. However, the site is a brownfield site so there may be an opportunity to build more.

New homes in this central location provides the opportunity for excellent access to services and facilities including for those who do not have access to a private car.

The Local Plan identifies that generally smaller homes should be directed to the north and west of the site and larger homes to the south and east.

Development Principles

• A distinctive residential area for Banbury that integrates with the adjoining town centre and railway station

• Extra care housing and housing for wheelchair users and those with specialist supported needs

• Provision of a mixture of housing types and sizes with approximately 30% affordable homes.

New Homes

4

What should the mix of commercial uses on the site include?

Commercial Development


• Retail, commercial and leisure uses focused in the north of the site adjacent to the town centre and station

• Units sized and located to attract small specialist leisure and niche retailers which combine to create a destination

• Leisure and entertainment uses including art spaces, restaurants and cafes

• Potential inclusion of live/work units.

The Masterplan for the site will also need to provide for some shops, restaurants and other services located mainly in the north of the site. However, there are options to explore interms of how many should be provided and where. Too many could have a negative effect on the existing town centre drawing trade away from places such as the High Street and Parsons Street. There is an opportunity to locate commercial uses at the railway station and potentially on new pedestrian routes to the town centre. Live/work units could be provided to enable businesses to operate from home.

There are existing businesses which may wish to remain on the site and expand into new premises. Some industry may be more difficult to accommodate alongside new homes.

How should these be split across the site?

How can existing businesses be accommodated on the site?

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Public Open Space and Community Facilities


• High quality open spaces that follow the canal and river corridor and support greater connectivity of the area

• Public art and open spaces provided in various locations including new tree planting within the site.

The Masterplan must identify public open space and community facilities but there are options in terms of how these could be provided. A linear park will be developed through the site, however our current view is that large play areas/pitches are already provided for elsewhere, including at Spiceball Park. The character of the linear park could change throughout the site and there could be smaller play spaces near to new homes. Public open spaces can help create a sense of place and encourage healthy lifestyles.

How should green spaces be provided on the site?

Which community facilities should be provided?

How can other public spaces and public art be provided?

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The Canal and River

The canal and river are currently hidden and surrounded by uses which do not always create a pleasant environment for walking and leisure activities. There is potential to enhance the canal and river corridors including through the provision of mooring facilities and other measures.

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How should the canal and river corridors be enhanced?


• The River Cherwell maintained in a semi-natural state with mature trees remaining

• Provision of a landscape corridor along the river to facilitate footpath and cycleways for the length of the river linking to the open countryside and with Spiceball Park

• Development fronting on to the canal and public access provided to the canal

• The continued use of canal boats for leisure purposes with a canal basin and mooring facilities located in the northern part of the site.

7

Natural and Historic Environment

The river corridor, and possibly other areas of the site, will contain flora and fauna which will need to be preserved and enhanced wherever possible.

There are listed structures on the site which will need to be retainedand, wherever possible, historic buildings should be restored andintegrated into development proposals. Integration of the historic environment can enhance new development and enrich the character of the area.

Which historic buildings and structures should be retained?

How can biodiversity be preserved and enhanced?

How can the historic environment be enhanced?


• Preservation, restoration and enhancement of biodiversity including wildlife corridors

• Retention and integration of the most valuable historic buildings and structures.

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Access and Movement

Additional car parking at the railway station and better access to the station by car is likely to be required as rail passenger numbers increase. A significant number of cars currently access railway station car parks from Bridge Street where traffic congestion is an issue. One solution could be for these car parks to be accessed mainly from Tramway Road by providing a new route from Tramway Road to Station Approach, as shown on the draft Masterplan Framework. Buses and taxis could also use this link.

There is potential for a new station building to encourage the use of the railway and to assist with site regeneration.

How should cars access railway station car parks?

Where and how should bus and other transport services be provided?

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• Good accessibility to public transport services including the provision of a bus route through the site with buses stopping at the railway station

• Provision of a bus only link provided from Station Approach to an extended Tramway Road

• Multi-storey car parks to serve the Railway Station.

What could a new station building provide?

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• A layout that maximises the potential for walkable neighbourhoods and enables a high degree of integration and connectivity between new and existing communities

• New footpaths and cycleways provided that link to existing networks

• New pedestrian and cycle bridges over the Oxford Canal and the River Cherwell to enable and encourage walking and cycling through the site

• Provision of a designated pedestrian and cycle route from the station to the town centre over the canal and river and a new pedestrian / cycle bridge over the railway

• Improvements to Windsor Street Cherwell Street corridor including frequent informal crossing points.

Access and Movement

The Canalside site is in a central location near to the railway station and town centre and many people already walk and cycle to the station and work. The Masterplan will need to set out where new footpaths, cycleways and bridges will be provided.

How can walking and cycling be encouraged on and to the site?

Where should pedestrian bridges be provided crossing the river and canal?

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Where should new walking and cycling routes be provided?

Access and Movement

This part of Banbury experiences significant traffic congestion and the Banbury Masterplan sets out measures to address this. It is not for the Canalside SPD to resolve transport issues on its own but changes will be needed to surrounding roads when homes are built.

Car parking will need to comply with County Council requirements but there is scope in this central location, with good access to many services and facilities, for reduced car parking.

Should some parts of the site be

car free?

How should roads and surrounding

transport infrastructure

change?

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• Improved arrangements at the Bridge Street and Cherwell Street junction to improve traffic capacity and to facilitate pedestrian movement between the town centre and Canalside

• Parking provision that complies with the County Council’s Parking Standards and will not exceed maximum standards

• Some car free areas or areas of reduced levels of parking with innovative solutions to accommodate the private car.

How much car parking should there be on the site and how can this be provided?

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Development Characteristics


• A high quality design and use of innovative architecture, including the use of robust and locally distinctive materials, which reflect the character and appearance of Banbury

• Buildings fronting Windsor Street enabling pedestrian access to the site

• An appropriate location for higher density housing to include a mixture of dwelling styles and types

• Approximately 30% of new homes provided as flats.

The Banbury Masterplan and the Council’s draft Design Guide seek to ensure good design is achieved for new development. There are many different styles of architecture and approaches to urban design which could be implemented at Canalside. Residential development which is higher than four storeys is limited in Banbury and impacts would need to be considered. However, well-designed development can help achieve efficient use of land, provide services effectively and create attractive sustainable development.

A town centre location suggests that flats should be built on the site but to provide for a range of housing needs, only about 30% of new homes are expected to be flats.

There is an opportunity to address climate change including designing development to reduce carbon emissions and promoting the use of decentralised and renewable or low carbon energy.

In terms of achieving good design what approach should be taken?

Should buildings be over four storeys?

What proportion of development should be new flats compared to houses?

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What measures should be provided on the site to address climate change?

Development CharacteristicsHow can measures to address potential flood risk be provided and incorporated into the site design?

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The site is located in an area where thereis a risk of flooding. However, with theimplementation of the Banbury FloodAlleviation Scheme and other measures onthe site, development can take place.Planning applications will be required tobe accompanied by a detailed flood riskassessment. Site Delivery

The Local Plan sets out requirements for planning applications for the site including that ideally proposals should come forward for the whole site accompanied by a detailed masterplan. However, applications for parts of the site may be permitted provided that they clearly demonstrate their proposals will contribute towards the creation of a single integrated community. Applications should cover a significant land area within the site in order to achieve continuity in design and delivery of the vision.

Implementation of proposals at Canalside will mean existing businesses may need to relocate. The Council is already talking with some of the land owners on the site. It is possible that businesses could remain alongside new homes in some circumstances. One of our key priorities is to ensure that businesses remain in Banbury or the District. The redevelopment of Canalside could provide them with the opportunity to expand and invest for the future and the Council’s Economic Development team will assist any businesses to relocate. Development proposals will also help facilitate the re-location of Banbury United Football club. The SPD will need to set out how and when different parts of the site will come forward and the land uses they will contain, taking into account siteviability. The provision of infrastructure and utilities will be important and a delivery plan will also be produced.

How can the Council and stakeholders best deliver the Canalside proposals?

Are there any parts of the Canalside site that should be developed first?

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The Council will obtain financial contributions from developers at Canalside as well as exploring capital funding. There is an opportunity to use funds to improve the public realm and provide community facilities.

Where should the Council look to identify land for existing businesses looking to move and/or expand?

Where would you like to see money including that obtained from developers spent?

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Which existing land uses should remain on the site?

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Find out more and make comments

This booklet and the questionnaire are available on-line at www.cherwell.gov.uk/planningpolicyconsultation and hard copies at:

Cherwell District Council Offices, Bodicote House, Bodicote, OX15 4AA, 8.45am-5.15pm Monday to Friday

Banbury Link Point, 43 Castle Quay, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5UW, 8.45am (10am Wednesday) to 5.15pm Monday to Friday

Completion of the questionnaire is encouraged but alternatively the Council will accept written comments. Comments should be sent: By email to [email protected] Or by post to: Planning Policy Team, Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury, OX15 4AA. The closing date is 28 February 2018.

Your comments will inform a draft of the supplementary planning document which will be published for public consultation later in the year. If you have any questions please contact the planning policy team on 01295 227985.

Are there any other issues

that you would like addressed in the draft

SPD for the site?

Do you have any other comments?

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