Councillor Taylor was elected as Chair of the Committee for the Council year 2019-2020.

In his absence, Councillor Tanner was elected as Vice-Chair of the Committee for the Council year 2019-2020.

Minute 4 - 18/02587/FUL:

Councillors Simm and Roz Smith declared that they were former employees of Oxford Brookes University but they had no disclosable pecuniary interest to declare and no predetermined view.

Councillor Lloyd Shogbesan declared that he had a disclosable pecuniary interest in the application as his wife worked for Oxford Brookes University, and he left the room and took no part in the debate or decision on this item. 

Site address            : Site of Blocks C F G H J K L And M, Clive Booth Hall, John Garne Way, Oxford

Proposal: Proposed demolition of Blocks C, F, G, H, J, K, L and M of the Clive Booth Student Village and erection of 1,077 student bedrooms with associated communal and social facilities (reference 18/02587/FUL) (revised land ownership certificate) (amended)

Recommendation: East Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.    resolve to approve the application subject to the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in the report; and

2.    agree to delegate authority to the Acting Head of Planning Services to:

(a)  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;

(b)  complete the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in the report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in the report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

(c)  issue the planning permission.

The Committee considered an application for planning permission for the demolition of Blocks C, F, G, H, J, K, L and M  of Clive Booth Student Village and erection of 1,077 student bedrooms with associated communal and social facilities  (revised land ownership certificate) (amended) at John Garne Way, Oxford OX3 0FN.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application and drew attention to an additional note circulated at the meeting about European Protected Species. She explained that consideration had been given to the three tests under regulation 53 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 which were considered to be met by the application and that it was therefore likely that a licence would be granted for any disturbance that might be caused to the bats which were present on the site.

Four speakers spoke against the application: Alan Cooper (representing John Garne allotment association); Nigel Berry (New Marston residents Association); John Small and Tessa Hennessy (local residents). Their main concerns were that the benefits of the application did not outweigh the harm to the conservation area and the residents of Headington; the impact on the allotments; and the loss of biodiversity.

Brendan Casey (Brookes registrar), Sean Keeley (President of the Students’ Union) and James Roach (architect) spoke in support of the application and outlined its benefits.

Councillors asked questions of the planning officers, and speakers representing the applicants and the objectors. The officers and speakers answered all the questions.

During the debate and questions the Committee’s main concerns were:

·                The number of trees that were going to be felled and the time taken for their replacements to grow to maturity, resulting in a significant detrimental long-term change to the landscape around the site: a scheme which had fewer rooms could take more account of the existing mature trees.

·                The view of the new buildings from around the city, in particular from areas close to the site. The wooded hillside would be adversely affected by the loss of mature trees and increased light pollution from large blocks at the lower edge of the site;

·                Doubt that the application was going to free up 246 houses to release back on to the market, as the figures from national guidance could not be shown to apply to Oxford’s HMO rental market;

·                That the public benefit may therefore be less than expected, and that this did not then lead to the public benefit of the development outweighing the harm;

·                The overall negative effect of the larger blocks due to their mass and height on the wider Headington Hill conservation area;

·                The scale, bulk, height and length of the buildings especially at the southern and lower end of the site created an over-dominant urban edge to the John Garne allotments and was detrimental to the amenity of the allotment holders;

·                The development was contrary to policies in the Local Plan and in the Headington Neighbourhood Plan which sought to preserve the character of the Headington Hill conservation area.

On being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Site address: Green Spaces and Hardstanding, Furlong Close, Oxford

Proposal: Formation of 24 car parking spaces and 1 disabled bay, alterations to landscaping.

Reason at Committee: Application is submitted by Oxford City Council.

Recommendation: East 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 the formation of 24 car parking spaces and 1 disabled bay and alterations to landscaping on areas of green space and hardstanding at Furlong Close, Oxford.

On being proposed, seconded, and put to the vote the Committee agreed to approve the application.

The East Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.    approve application 19/00366/CT3 for the reasons given in the report and subject to the 10 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.

Proposal: Demolition of existing single storey rear extension. Erection of a single storey rear extension.

Site address: 63 Asquith Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4RN

Reason at Committee: Application is submitted by Oxford City Council.

Recommendation: East 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 for planning permission for the demolition of the existing single storey rear extension and the erection of a single storey rear extension at 63 Asquith Road, Oxford, OX4 4RN.

James Cookson (the agent for the applicant) spoke in support of the application.

On being proposed, seconded, and put to the vote the Committee agreed to approve the application.

The East Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.    approve application 19/00643/CT3 for the reasons given in the report and subject to the 3 required planning conditions and one informative set out in sections 12 and 13 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.

Site address: 16 Croft Road, Oxford, OX3 0JY

Proposal: Erection of a single storey side extension. Alterations to roof to existing side extension from pitched to flat. Infill of 1no. window to rear elevation. Formation of a ramp, handrail and decking to rear elevation.

Reason at Committee: Application is submitted by Oxford City Council.

Recommendation: East 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 for planning permission for the erection of a single storey side extension; alterations to the roof of the existing side extension from pitched to flat; infill of one window to rear elevation; and formation of a ramp, handrail and decking to rear elevation at 16 Croft Road, Oxford, OX3 0JY

James Cookson (the agent for the applicant) spoke in support of the application.

On being proposed, seconded, and put to the vote the Committee agreed to approve the application.

The East Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.    approve application 19/00644/CT3 for the reasons given in the report and subject to the 4 required planning conditions and one informative 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.

Recommendation:

to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1 May 2019 as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1 May 2019 as a true and accurate record.

Items currently expected to be considered by the committee at future meetings are listed for information. This is not a definitive list and applications may be added or removed at any point. These are not for discussion at this meeting.

The Committee noted the list of applications.

If it is not possible to complete the business on 5 June, this meeting will be adjourned and reconvened at 6.00pm on 13 June 2019.

Future meetings of the Committee are scheduled at 6.00pm on

The Committee noted the meeting dates.