Castle Mill

Castle Mill Oxford University graduate housing under construction, from the Walton Well Road railway bridge to the north in January 2013.

Similar view in April 2013.

View from the Castle Mill Stream at the southern end of Port Meadow, across the Cripley Meadow allotments.

Castle Mill is a graduate housing complex of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.

Overview

Castle Mill is located north of Oxford railway station along Roger Dudman Way, just to the west of the railway tracks on what was formerly Cripley Meadow, south of Port Meadow.^[4] The initial buildings at the southern end of the site were completed in 2004.^[5] Accommodation is available for single people, couples, and families.^[6] The proximity of the railway causes a noise issue.^[7]

The Castle Mill Stream, a branch of the River Thames, runs to the east of the site beyond the railway tracks, hence the name.

Development and controversy

View from Port Meadow.

Close-up of 5-storey blocks from Port Meadow, showing the reduced-height apex in the roof line, undertaken to make the buildings more acceptable with respect to blocking the view.^[1]

St Barnabas Church campanile obscured by new Oxford University Castle Mill graduate accommodation buildings, at the southern end of Port Meadow.^[2][3]

Notice about the Castle Mill graduate housing on the bridge between Port Meadow and Fiddler's Island, December 2012.

Since 2012, the Oxford University Estates Directorate, with the help of Longcross, have been developing the one hectare Castle Mill site (400m × 25m), north of the existing accommodation, between the Cripley Meadow Allotments and the railway tracks, close to the southern end of Port Meadow, as further extensive student accommodation.^[8][9] The architect for the new buildings is Frankham Consultancy Group,^[10] with a contract value of £21.5 million.^[11] The company's website claims that "The company exists to improve the surroundings in which we all live and work."^[12] Oxford City Council granted planning permission on 15 February 2012.^[13]

The development has been controversial, since the four to five storey blocks overlook Port Meadow, a historic open area to the north with views of Oxford's skyline.^[14] Campaigners have warned of damage to views of Oxford.^[15][16] There has been an online petition^[17] and a "Save Port Meadow" campaign was established in December 2012.^[18] Concern has been raised by the Oxford Preservation Trust^[19] and the Green Party.^[20] Anger has been caused even among members of Oxford University.^[21] The development has been likened to building a "skyscraper beside Stonehenge".^[22]

In February 2013, a local paper reported that Oxford City Council had entered negotiations with Oxford University to reduce the height of the buildings by two storeys.^[23] There was a protest and picket of Congregation, Oxford University's formal assembly of senior members, at the Sheldonian Theatre in central Oxford.^[24][25] The protesters including leading members of Oxford University, such as Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church. Oxford University donors, such as Michael Moritz, and the University's Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andrew Hamilton, have also been targeted with letters by the protesters, warning that the buildings "blot out the unique view of Oxford's Dreaming Spires from Port Meadow".^[24] Campaigners have claimed that the decision on the development was unlawful.^[2] The author Philip Pullman has condemned the buildings,^[26] which has featured in the national press.^[27]

In particular, views of the Grade I listed Italianate St Barnabas Church in Jericho have been affected. An internal report of 24 January 2012 at Oxford City Council^[28] stated "Photomontages show that from some parts of the meadow the view of the St Barnabas campanile will be obscured with the long unrelieved roof line cutting across in front of it." In fact, the view of the campanile is almost completely obscured (see photograph to the right).

In March 2013, it was revealed the Oxford City Council was warned about the threat to the views from Port Meadow.^[3] The Head of Heritage at the Council reported on "the harmful impact" with a conclusion that "There is no justification for this harm".^[28] The University submitted revised plans reducing the height of the blocks by 1.2m on 9 February 2012, yet the planning officer's report recommending approval of the revised scheme was dated 3 February 2012.^[3] The height change is seen by some as having a negligible effect in practice.^[1] The Vice-Chairman of the West Area Planning Committee said "I was told there had been no objections to the original scheme and as the revised scheme was designed to make it even less controversial there was no need to consult."^[29]

In April 2013, it was reported that Oxford University had removed the topmost apex of the roof in its revised plans, rather than removing a storey.^[30] Oxford University has stated that it will not reduce the height of the buildings voluntarily and have estimated the cost to do so as being £10–20 million.^[31][32] On 17 April, masked protesters attended an Oxford City Council meeting, where it was decided that a high-level meeting between the University's Vice-Chancellor and the Council leader was needed.^[33][34] Oxford City Council has warned Oxford University that compulsory measures could be taken to reduce the impact of Castle Mill.^[35] Campaigners have set up a fund to oppose the development in the High Court. The Direct of the Oxford Preservation Trust has stated "I don't think we have the guidelines in place which allow for a development like the one near Port Meadow to be properly assessed."^[36]

During May 2013, it emerged that pollution at Castle Mill had not been checked before work begin, as was required in the planning permission.^[37] The CPRE stated that a request under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the University did not provide the necessary information before work started in September 2012. When the University did eventually undertake the assessment, it was deemed adequate by the City Council officers, but a judgement of the matter by the Council itself was postponed. Later in May, it was noted by an Oxford University alumnus that he had been lobbied by the Provost of Worcester College, Professor Jonathan Bate, because the College was objecting to a modest planning proposal by Exeter College.^[38]

In June 2013, Castle Mill was nominated for the 2013 Carbuncle Cup, an annual award by Building Design for "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months."^[39] It is described as "A deeply unimaginative and impoverished design which would lower the spirits whatever its setting, but on the edge of one of central England’s most important and ancient landscapes, it is an outrage."

In July 2013, an independent inquiry into the student blocks and how Oxford University was allowed to obscure historic views of Oxford was announced.^[40] The level of consultation and the relationship between Oxford city planners and Oxford University have been questioned. There have been claims the city councillors were misled about the impact of the scheme.

See also

Organizations

• Frankham Consultancy Group, architect
• Longcross, builder
• University of Oxford, client
• Oxford City Council, planning authority

Local places

• Roger Dudman Way, location
• Castle Mill Stream
• Cripley Meadow
• Port Meadow

References

Further reading

• Miller, India (1 March 2013). "Criticism of Castle Mill development continues". Cherwell.org. Retrieved 1 March 2013. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle Mill, Oxford.

• Save Port Meadow website
• Port Meadow Campaign on Twitter
• Protect Port Meadow from Oxford University on Facebook
• Castle Mill nominated for 2013 Oxford Preservation Trust Award

Panoramic view looking south from Port Meadow of new Oxford University Castle Mill graduate housing.

Coordinates: 51°45′37″N 1°16′23″W / 51.76035°N 1.273191°W / 51.76035; -1.273191