Welcome to the Oxford Preservation Trust

Planning

Oxford University appeals against the refusal of planning permission for a Book Depository which would harm the classic view of the City

In November 2007 Oxford City Council refused permission for the University of Oxford to build a Book Depository (the SERS Building) in the foreground of the Dreaming Spires view. The plans were for a warehouse rising, in parts, to above the City Council's upper height limit of 18.2 metres, which would have a major negative impact on the classic views of the dreaming spires of the City from the west.
The University's appeal against this decision will begin at 10am on Tuesday 1 July in the Town Hall.

The City Council will be defending their decision to refuse the application with Councillor C Cook, Cllr E Benjamin and Cllr J Goddard appearing.

Oxford Preservation Trust has elected to be a principal party at the appeal and has put together a strong local team to put forward its case for why this refusal should be upheld. Appearing for the Trust:

Director, Debbie Dance
Advocate, Steven Sensecall, Kemp & Kemp
Historic Views, Julian Munby, Oxford Archaeology
Landscape Expert, Jeremy Smith, SLR Consulting
Planning Expert, Huw Mellor, Kemp & Kemp
Alternate Sites, Chris Wilmshurst, Kemp & Kemp

The appeal is scheduled to last two weeks
Tuesday 1 – Friday 4 July
Tuesday 8 – Friday 11 July

Follow the latest developments on our news page

The Trust's planning work operates at a national, regional and strategic level. Trust officers meet weekly to discuss planning matters and proposed developments. Papers relating to the city and district planning applications and regional issues are circulated to the Trust's Plans Advisory Group and Area Committee contacts. Comments and views are submitted regularly, with more strategic issues discussed at quarterly committee meetings.

The Trust continues to work with other groups within the city, and officers sit on the listed buildings sub-committee of the Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society and on the Oxford Green Belt Network. Mrs Dance is a director of OX1, the City Centre management company, and a member of the Oxford Strategic Partnership where she has been taking a particular interest in the area of tourism and the public realm.