Planning Permission

Current position

The planning application for the new clubhouse was submitted in February 2019 under application number 19/00410/FUL and approved in June 2019. Fundraising has continued all along and sufficient funds have now been received to allow us to start the build in August 2020.

Commenting on our application

This is no longer applicable as our application was approved in June 2019.

Online planning commenting system

You are encouraged to comment on the application. This can be carried out very easily using an online form.

Comments are more frequently used by objectors than supporters, but there is good reason to add supporting comments. It is not necessary to state what your relationship is with the club, although it could be beneficial if you are one step removed from it e.g. a parent or supporter of a member.

The headings suggested by the online comments system are as follows. It advised that your comments are generally constrained to these issues as many others, although interesting, are unlikely to be material from a planning point of view. Noting the benefits of the club and a new clubhouse to the local community would also be worthwhile (see more on this in the next section). If it comes to committee the planning officer's report will include a summary of the comments and will be reviewed by City Councillors.

Access
Amount of development on site
Contaminated land issues
Effect on adjoining properties
Effect on character of area
Effect on existing community facilities
Effect on pollution
Effect on privacy
Effect on traffic
Flooding risk
General dislike or support for proposal
Height of proposal Information missing from plans
Light - daylight/sunlight
Local ecology, biodiversity
Local plan policies
No opinion expressed on development
Noise and disturbance
Not enough info given on application
On-street parking
Open space provision
Other - give details
Parking provision
Public transport provision/accessibility

Specific elements that you may wish to address in your comments

Most of the documents from the planning application including drawings of the new clubhouse and the Design and Access statement which outlines the key aspects of the development have been included below. These are a good starting point if you don't know much about what is being proposed. (The full set is available through the planning website under 19/00410/FUL).

The following are a number of points to give you a more detailed idea of the kinds of ideas that you might wish to utilised if you consider that they represent your personal views on the benefits of the new clubhouse. You needn't use all, or indeed more than one, if that element encapsulates your position.

Make mention of the Local Plan 2001-2016 much of which is still in force:
- Developments will be supported by the council if they are appropriate in scale, siting design and location.
- SR12 The City Council will protect existing water-based recreation facilities and support services for boat users, unless the facility is to be replaced in another equally accessible and suitable location.
- SR13 Planning permission will be granted for new water-based recreation facilities or extensions to existing facilities except where they would create nuisance, or have a significant adverse effect on the environmental quality of Oxford’s waterways and their surroundings.
The new Local Plan 2036 is still in draft form as it has not yet been adopted and so isn't directly relevant but the following points could be worth noting from it.
- Sustainable development from start to finish
- Water efficiency - use of rain water for boat washing
- Reducing the sprawl of current storage facilities into a single compact unit whilst gaining vital changing, gym and social spaces.
- Proving improved access to open spaced and sporting facilities.
Falcon is a community club which will be able to expand its diversity of usage through the replacement of its delapidated old boathouse.
The benefits that it brings to the community which will be greatly improved with a clubhouse to enable us to fully support disabled users.
Our desire to develop responsibly e.g. roof designed to facilitate the installing of PVs'; use of rainwater.
The development seeks to conserve and enhance the natural environment by helping to improve biodiversity and through the creation of a low-carbon facility.
If you like the design, note the appropriateness of the design keeping a traditional boathouse architecture, sitting well within adjacent plots, tidying up the site by bringing all facilities together under one roof, set back from the river and designed not sit well in its setting, not dominate it.
Similarly, the improved appearance from the far side of the river.
Opening up of view through to the river from Meadow Lane by moving the building to behind the more wooded end of the site.
Sitting well with adjacent plots.
Providing accessible open space and sports facilities
Expanded and safe facilities will enable the further development of accessible recreational services and access to open spaces
Provision of facilities to support local education establishments.