Planning Application:
25/01588/FUL | Demolition of existing commercial and leisure buildings (Class E/Sui Generis) and erection of a phased redevelopment of the site comprising of mixed use R&D laboratories (Class E(g)) with active ground floor uses (Class E), restoration of Grade II* Listed Minchery Priory public house (sui generis), construction of community leisure building (sui generis), construction of Cowley Branch Line mobility hub, construction of electrical substation, hard and soft amenity and biodiversity landscape and public realm and other supporting or ancillary works and infrastructure including access and servicing (amended certificate of ownership). | Ozone Leisure Park Grenoble Road Oxford Oxfordshire
Our Response:
August 2025
Oxford Preservation Trust object to this application in its current form.
Whilst we support the redevelopment of the site in principle, due to the lack of detailed information regarding the restoration of the Minchery Farmhouse and its setting we are unable to offer support to the current application.
The Grade II* Minchery Farmhouse is the most important building on the site. A unique survival in the city and a rare one nationally, it has survived for some 500 years and now needs sensitive restoration to keep it standing for hundreds of years more.
We are unclear as to why a Listed Building application has not been submitted in tandem to the above planning application to enable the proposals to be considered as a whole. A long-term community use, and its sensitive restoration, should be a focal point for the scheme and not an afterthought.
Detailed proposals should also be provided for the wider setting of the building, enabling people to understand the wider monastic landscape in which the building originally sat.
The supporting planning statement states:
“Further detail on the scope of works required to support its restoration are to be provided in due course, if necessary, in the form of a Listed Building Consent application”. We can see no justification as to why this information is not being provided at the same time as the wider planning application.
Given the significance the Minchery Farmhouse element of the proposals have on the success of the scheme as a whole – we consider the current application should be withdrawn or put on hold until the Listed Building application and its supporting information is also ready for submission.
Notwithstanding the above objections – we would raise the below issues as also being key when considering the wider scheme in due course.
Minchery Farmhouse
As stated above redevelopment of the wiser site offers the opportunity to sensitively restore the Farmhouse and its setting. Its future viability can be secured by bringing it back into community use. These works would also have the benefit to get the building removed from the Heritage at Risk Register. This element of the proposals is key to the wider success of the scheme.
Impact on views
Significantly taller buildings are proposed to replace those already on site, an increase of nearly 25m in the case of Block B. We have reviewed the Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment which reviews a number of key views. One further view that may need to be considered is Boars Hill – with the site potentially visible to the east of this view.
The Assessment concludes that there would be minimal harm to the views. We would urge the importance of ensuring the additional height does not breach the landscape setting beyond (skylining)– so the landscape can be seen beyond.
Connectivity
It should be more clearly demonstrated how the site will link into the wider area and elements of public realm and open space.
Minchery Lane should be utilised to provide access to the potential new Cowley Branch Line Station and the land allocated at STRAT11 (Grenoble Road) to the south. If Minchery Farmhouse is to be brought into community use, links should also be provided to enable people to access this easily through a variety of active travel links (walking, cycling and public transport).
Community Use
The existing community uses on the site are well-used and enjoyed by local residents and by those from further afield. We are pleased to see that the cinema is to be replaced and the Farmhouse to be brought back into community use – it is important that this community element remains on site and is delivered as part of Phase one of any future redevelopment.
Existing development
It is regretful that the existing hotel building on site is to be retained. This is not a building of any merit architecturally. Located at the centre of the site, next to Minchery Farmhouse, it has the potential to harmfully impact the setting of the surrounding development.
We would welcome the opportunity to comment further on the proposals following the submission of a Listed Building application.