I’ve just submitted my comments for the current Seacourt Retail Centre planning application:

I write as the local Vale council member from this area.

Previous permissions have had two relevant conditions that this application seeks to change:
1. Planning permission is required for sale of food and drink.
2. No more than 10 retail units, none less than 465 sq meters.

In addition to those two points, the other key issues are the closure of the petrol station, new access via the A420 slip road, and pedestrian access.

Closure of the petrol station: I commented on this in 2013, and recognised at that time it was a business decision not a planning one. But now, with the in-force NPPF and its focus on sustainability, there is a clear need to consider the environmantal effects of the closure of the petrol station. There are no other petrol stations nearby, and this closure will have the negative effect of adding a lot of extra drving along the A34. That seems relevant to environmental sustainabillity measurements.

New access via A420 slip road. I think this is a welome change, however, I think there should be a signalled controlled entry somewhere into this centre, for cars, cycles, and pedestrians. The current access near the A34 flyover on West Way is congested, the road narrows there so that the buses must merge temporarilty with cars, and there are no pedestrian crossings. It’s most difficult to leave Seacourt from there, particularly to turn right onto West Way.

Pedestrian crossing to access this centre. The nearby west bound bus stop is just east of McDonalds, at the Old Botley North Hinksey Lane junction. There is no controlled pedestrian crossing there, and it’s 5 lanes of heavy traffic. If there is to be a major retaill centre here in Seacourt, some sort of controlled pedestrian and car access should be provided. Perhaps fix the major signal controlled intersection to provide safe pedestrian crossing between McDonalds and Seacourt Retail?

Re: increase from 10 to 12 units, some of them smaller than is currently allowed. I think I accept their argument that this would cause no harm. However, this restriction has been on this site for many decades, so I’m prepared to be convinced otherwise. Have small business owners nearby been consulted?

Re: sale of food and drink. In all my reading I didn’t find anywhere that argued why this constraint should be lifted. It was put in place to protect the food and drink businesses in Botley and Oxford City centre. It may well be true that conditions have changed since the constraint was first imposed in 1986. But I’d like to see the argument. It appears from the drawings that the stand alone business closest to the A420 slip road is to have tables outside, so I assume a restauraunt business. More info is needed before I would be happy to say yes to a food and drinks business in this location.