Site address:                      5 Chadlington Road, Oxford, OX2 6SY

Proposal:                             Demolition of existing garage and conservatory. Erection of a two storey side and rear extension and a single storey rear extension. Enlargement of existing front porch, removal of chimneys, removal of 1no. door to north west elevation and replace with 1no window. Alterations to vehicle access into the site. Provision of bin and cycle stores (Amended Plans and Amended Description).

Reason at Committee:     This application has been called in by Councillors Harris, Gotch, Roz Smith, Gant and Garden on the ground that the proposed extensions involve overbuilding of the site and are of a scale and nature which affects the character of the neighbourhood which is in a conservation area.

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.    approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report and grant planning permission; and

2.    agree to delegate authority to the Acting Head of Planning Services to finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

The Committee considered an application (18/02645/FUL) for planning permission for the demolition of existing garage and conservatory; erection of a two storey side and rear extension and a single storey rear extension; enlargement of existing front porch; removal of chimneys; removal of one door to north west elevation and replace with one window; and alterations to vehicle access into the site and provision of bin and cycle.

The application had been called in by Councillors Harris, Gotch, Roz Smith, Gant and Garden on the ground that the proposed extensions involve overbuilding of the site and are of a scale and nature which affects the character of the neighbourhood which is in a conservation area

The Planning Officer presented the report.

Philip Allen, on behalf of Linton Road Neighbourhood Association, spoke against the application. 

Patrick Trueman, applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

In debate the Committee focussed on the impact of the proposed development on the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area and neighbouring amenity.

The Committee sought advice from the Urban Design and Conservation Officer regarding the relative merits of a side or rear extension.  The officer explained that a key characteristic of the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area was that “from the street, building plots seem small for the size of the houses, there are however large spaces behind houses”. 

The Committee noted the officer advice that the sense of spaces between the buildings and glimpses of mature vegetation would not be lost due to the low built form at the Dragon School, and that significant view of rear gardens and the contribution that the rear garden of 5 Chadlington Road makes to this collective character would still be glimpsed on the southern approach of Chadlington Road which is an important viewing point.

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.     approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report and grant planning permission; and

2.     delegate authority to the Acting Head of Planning Services to finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.