Site address:                   16 Northmoor Road, Oxford, OX2 6UP  

Proposal:                         Sub-division of existing building to create 4 x 2-bed and 2 x-1 bed flats (Use Class C3). Demolition of existing rear extension and erection of a three storey extension to north elevation with external staircase and bin and cycle store (amended plans).

Reason at Committee:     The application was called in by Councillors Harris, Roz Smith, Landell-Mills, Wade and Goddard due to concerns about overbuilding and damage to the character of the 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

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 (18/03322/FUL) for planning permission for the sub-division of the existing building to create 4 x 2-bed and 2 x-1 bed flats (Use Class C3); the demolition of the existing rear extension and erection of a three storey extension to north elevation with external staircase and bin and cycle store (amended plans).

This application had been called in by Councillors Harris, Roz Smith, Landell-Mills, Wade and Goddard due to concerns about overbuilding and damage to the character of the Conservation Area.

The Planning Officer presented the report and referred the Committeeto a dormer window proposed to be located on the rear elevation of the existing building as it was not referred to explicitly within the assessment in paragraphs 10.17 and 10.28 of the report. The Planning Officer explained that the dormer was considered to form a visually appropriate relationship with the property, would be in keeping with the design of the existing dormers on the building, and would not give rise to unacceptable levels of overlooking or loss of privacy.

James Wyman, local resident, spoke against the application. 

Mark Utting, agent, spoke in favour of the application.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it.

The Committee acknowledged that this was a sensitive site within the conservation area but on balance agreed with the Planning Officer’s judgement that the application would lead to less than substantial harm due to the position of the extension to the rear of the site and the relationship with the existing Church extension. The Committee concluded that the less than substantial harm was outweighed by the benefits of the proposal, in particular the removal of the garage to the front and the staircase to the side, the provision of an additional dwelling and improved quality of space for future occupiers of the site. 

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.