Providing expert transport planning services for the redevelopment of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
The transport planning team here at Glanville Consultants were delighted to provide their expertise in the redevelopment and refurbishment of the listed Wycliffe Hall college and grounds. Wycliffe Hall was founded in 1877 and became a permanent private hall within the University of Oxford in 1996. It is a Christian academic community that offers theological study at undergraduate and postgraduate degree levels.
As part of the application and planning process, we prepared a transport statement, construction traffic management plan, and a technical note to address transport considerations and respond to Oxfordshire County Council’s consultation comments.
Our transport planning services were integral to the application process and the project received planning consent in December.
The project
The vision for the project is the rejuvenation of the existing buildings to provide facilities that would enable and encourage research, creativity and a strong sense of community. The team at Wycliffe Hall emphasised the desire to transform energy performance, sustainability and accessibility to this historic building while keeping aesthetics true to its Victorian roots.
The main outcomes include:
- An enhanced entrance
- Erection of a new dining hall
- Internal upgrades for improved accessibility
- Enhancements to the landscape and gardens
- Demolition of existing structures
- Modifications to improve car and cycle parking
Our role in the project: Transport planning services
Our transport planning team are specialist in designing innovative, practical transport solutions. To ensure the planning application was successful, we had 3 key contributions.
Collaboration with the design team
A key element of the transport planning process was close liaison with the design team to develop an optimal car and cycle parking layout. We were proud to work alongside landscape architect, Nicholas Pearson Associates to bring the vision to life. This involved:
- Addressing space constraints while ensuring compliance with national and local parking standards.
- Balancing parking provision to align with sustainability policies while accommodating Wycliffe Hall’s unique student demographic.
- Integrating landscape features to enhance the setting of the listed buildings and conservation area.
Following iterative design discussions, adjustments were made to parking layouts, access arrangements, and servicing areas to ensure compatibility with the wider site master plan.
Engagement with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC)
The OCC (acting as the Local Highway Authority) provided an initial consultation in response to plans. Glanville worked with the council to find solutions to these key issues:
- Parking bay and aisle dimensions: Concerns about compliance with OCC’s Street Design Guide were raised.
- Cycle parking standards: The adequacy of space for two-tier cycle racks was questioned.
- Servicing and delivery arrangements: The interaction between staff parking and delivery vehicle movements required clarification.
- Sustainable travel measures: Additional initiatives were sought beyond the cycle parking provision.
As part of our transport planning services, we held a meeting with the OCC in February 2024 to reach the following key agreements for the project:
- The reduced parking provision and cycle parking strategy were deemed acceptable, subject to detailed dimensioned drawings.
- The need for a travel plan was acknowledged, with its preparation to be conditioned rather than required at the application stage.
- The proposed EV and disabled parking provision were confirmed as compliant.
- A service and delivery management plan would be required to formalise operational arrangements.
Technical note and revised drawings
After meeting with the OCC, our planning team prepared a transport technical note to address any outstanding concerns. Our responses included:
- Annotated dimensioned drawings (prepared by Nicholas Pearson Associates) confirming compliance with guidance.
- Swept-path analysis demonstrating vehicle manoeuvrability within the site.
- Justification for the car park layout in light of heritage and landscape constraints.
- Confirmation of sustainable travel initiatives, including cycle parking improvements and proposed Travel Plan measures.
Our technical note delivered alongside revised drawings led to the OCC withdrawing its transport-related objections.
Our transport strategy successfully supported the planning application. The team were able to skillfully balance operational requirements with policy compliance. The collaborative approach with the design team and proactive engagement with OCC ensured that transport-related issues were effectively resolved.
Transport planning with Glanville
At Glanville, our transport planning services unlock development opportunities and release planning consent for our clients. Our planning team have years of experience working on projects of all sizes, from large strategic housing sites to integrated and sustainable transport. We specialise in:
- Site appraisals, feasibility studies & pre-application advice
- Development master planning
- Transport Assessments & Transport Statements
- Travel Plans & Travel Co-ordinator service
- Examinations in Public, Planning Appeals & Public Inquiries
- Traffic modelling, junction capacity assessments & micro-simulation network modelling
If you have a project that could benefit from our transport planning expertise or any of our other services, get in touch today.
