Canalside Park and new street application submitted

Thomas White Oxford (TWO), the development company of St John’s College, has submitted to Oxford City Council a reserved matters application (RMA) for construction of Canalside Park, the first of its three public parks, and a new street to provide access to the first phase of Oxford North’s new homes at Canalside, on land south of the A40.

With outline planning permission for Oxford North’s overall masterplan granted in March 2021, TWO has made the application for the outstanding reserved matters, which includes information such as layout, access, scale and appearance.

The new park and street have been designed to sit with the first phase of circa 318 new houses and apartments, and landscaped square, for which a reserved matters application is to be brought forward by TWO’s residential partner, Hill Group.

Canalside Park will be an informal space for recreation. Planting will characterise the areas of landscape, enhancing the landscape quality and biodiversity. The planting will comprise predominantly native tree and shrub species with a mixed native hedge along the boundary with the proposed residential gardens to form a green buffer to the site. An amenity grass mix is to be planted as part of the earthworks which are currently underway.

The new street will form the access road into the new homes’ development as well as the spine of the routing for the utility connections.

The combined scheme has been subject to discussions with Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the Oxfordshire Design Review Panel (ODRP) and online and in person public consultations.

William Donger, chief executive, Oxford North said: “As this major project for Oxford continues with the infrastructure works firmly underway, we have submitted our application so we can progress the next phase to provide the vitally important new and affordable homes, public park, and this exciting new innovation district.

“I thank people for taking the time to provide their feedback during the public consultation phases. It’s heartening that so far more than 60 construction jobs have been created through this project and that number is only set to continue as this new community of the future continues to be created.”

Acting on behalf of Thomas White Oxford is Gardiner & Theobald, Savills, Fletcher Priest Architects, Townshend Landscape Architects, Stantec, and Hoare Lea.

Planning reference number: 22/00081/RES.