BNC JCR set to challenge Exeter's Brasenose Land building work
Brasenose JCR has voted to express its dissatisfaction at Exeter College's construction of a temporary building in Brasenose Lane.
Last year Exeter set up scaffolding in the narrow lane between their exterior wall and that of Lincoln.
Within the last few weeks this has been replaced by a temporary kitchen, leaving a gap of a little over four feet for pedestrians and cyclists.
Members of Brasenose, who regularly have to use the lane to reach the college, feel the congestion caused means journeys to and from college take considerably longer. In addition, the passage created is unlit and can therefore be intimidating at night.
The motion, passed at the JCR meeting last Sunday, mandated its President to write to the Principal of Exeter to complain about the new arrangements and to request extra lighting in the lane. She will report any response to the JCR.
The President was also asked to write to the Oxford City Council head of planning, to find out whether Exeter had sought planning permission to erect what the motion termed a 'monolith'.
The JCR decided that if permission had not been granted, and the lane was found to belong to Brasenose, they were willing to 'organise a working party to take the beast down.'
The Oxford Student has discovered however that planning permission for the construction was approved by Oxford City Council on 10th December last year.
The temporary kitchen unit is expected to remain in Brasenose Lane for up to seven months whilst the existing college kitchen is refurbished and modernised.
This period expires on 31st July, after which, according to the decision notice issued by the Planning Department, 'works carried out under this permission shall be removed, and the land reinstated to its former condition.'
The planning application from Montgomery Architects states that 'during the course of the work the pedestrian route along Brasenose Lane will be maintained.'
Bursar of Exeter College Eric Bennett feels Brasenose JCR's concerns are unreasonable: 'We have got to do it. We haven't had a major refurbishment of the kitchen within living memory, and people have to eat in the meantime.'
He is adamant that notices warning of the request for planning permission were displayed well in advance of the work beginning, and no complaints were received.
He did however promise to look into the possibility of lighting the passageway.
It looks as though members of Brasenose will have to put up with the inconvenience of reduced access, at least for the next few months, though Bennett assured The Oxford Student construction is likely to be completed well in advance of the deadline.
However, it remains to be seen whether they will be successful with the final amendment added to the motion last Sunday: a request for the 'monolith' to be painted in the Brasenose colours of green and gold.
27th Jan 2005