At a meeting of Oxford City Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday 23 January, Green Templeton College was granted approval to demolish its Richard Doll building in order to build new and environmentally friendly student accommodation for 51 graduate students. This approval was granted despite objections from the Oxford Architectural and History Society and the Thames Valley Police.
In order to carry out work to build the proposed accommodation, the 1981 Richard Doll building, which houses two tennis courts, two squash courts, and a gardener’s shed, will have to be demolished.
Green Templeton College Bursar, Dr. Tim Clayden, told Cherwell that new building works would allow for the “returning of the magnificent Radcliffe Observatory back into being a study space, including library, a new and improved lodge, single-storey café, [and] permanent sports facility.” There will also be a studio and ensuite rooms for graduate students.
Members of the Oxford Architectural and History Society, however, have expressed concerns that “demolition of these buildings would be harmful to the setting of listed buildings and to the appearance and character of the neighbouring conservation areas.”
Thames Valley Police recently stated: “[They were] unable to find a lighting plan within the current application… it is important for pedestrian safety that all movement routes within the development are well lit after dark to aid in facial recognition and reduce the fear of crime.”
Green Templeton has previously tried other methods, such as refurbishing the existing Richard Doll building and college entrance. However, these did not fulfil the needs of the college. The college views the design and scale of the new building as a more appropriate response to the surrounding Grade-I listed buildings, such as the Radcliffe Observatory.
Dr. Clayden also told Cherwell that Green Templeton College has “grown its student numbers significantly since its current estate was developed in the 1980s.” Back then, the college housed fewer than 200 individuals while it now has nearly 700 students among its wider community.
The need for new housing and accommodation in this case is an obvious one. Especially given the fact Oxford is in the midst of a student housing crisis, which in November found students sleeping in queues outside of estate agents to secure accommodation.
The comments from the Thames Valley Police and OAHS present certain aesthetic and safety objections. Yet Green Templeton College seems to view demolition of old buildings and construction of new ones as the solution to their housing shortage.
Green Templeton College has already put thought into the aesthetics of the new buildings and into environmental concerns. Dr Clayden told Cherwell the new site will contain “a series of landscaping interventions designed by Dan Pearson Studio, complementing the new buildings and enhancing the existing gardens resulting in a biodiversity net gain of over 16%.” There are also plans for a “scheme, which will be built to Passivhause Standard and reduce the sitewide carbon emissions by over 40%.”
