Site Address: 24 Ambleside Drive, OX3 0AQ

Proposal: Demolition of existing bungalow. Erection of three storey building to provide 4 x 1-bed flats and 2 x 2-bed flats (Use Class C3). Erection of 2 x 2-bed semi-detached dwellings (Use Class C3).  Provision of car parking and amenity space.

Officer recommendation: to refuse planning permission for the reasons set out in the report.

The Committee considered an application for the demolition of the existing bungalow; erection of three storey building to provide 4 x 1-bed flats and 2 x 2-bed flats (Use Class C3); erection of 2 x 2-bed semi-detached dwellings (Use Class C3); and provision of car parking and amenity space at 24 Ambleside Drive, OX3 0AQ.

The Committee resolved: to refuse planning permission for application 17/00522/FUL for the following reasons:

1. The proposal, because of the amount of accommodation, number of units proposed, together with their form, site coverage and location to the rear of the site, as well as the design and location of the proposed parking area, amenity area and landscaping, represents a cramped form of development and poor quality design which would be uncharacteristic in its suburban residential context and would therefore harm the character and visual amenity of the wider area, contrary to policy CS18 of the Oxford Core Strategy, policies CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9 and CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001 to 2016 and policies HP9 and HP13 of the Sites and Housing Plan.
2. The proposal does not provide an appropriate housing mix for the location and includes the net loss of a family dwelling.  It therefore fails to ensure that a balanced mix of housing is provided for the City and is contrary to Policy CS23 of the Oxford Core Strategy and the Balance of Dwellings SPD.
3. The application fails to provide any contribution to affordable housing and no evidence has been provided to indicate that on-site provision or a financial contribution towards affordable housing would make the scheme unviable. As a result, the development fails to neither provide an appropriate mix of housing nor contribute to the wider housing needs of the City, and is contrary to Policy HP4 of the Sites and Housing Plan (2013) and Policy CS24 of the Core Strategy (2011).
4. The proposed arrangements for waste and cycle storage for the proposed units would be unacceptable as there is not sufficient space to meet all waste and cycle storage needs in safe, discreet and conveniently accessible way. As a result the provision of cycle parking for the dwellings is inadequate and the proposed development would be unacceptable in the context of Policy CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP13 and HP15 of the Sites and Housing Plan (2013).
5. The proposed parking area does not have sufficient space to enable vehicles to turn and manoeuvre within the site and cannot all be used concurrently. The proposed arrangement would therefore be detrimental to highway safety. The development is therefore contrary to Policy CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP16 of the Sites and Housing Plan (2013).
6. The application fails to provide any details of how sustainable design and construction methods would be incorporated nor an energy statement to show how energy efficiencies have been incorporated into the development have been provided. The proposal therefore does not comply with policy HP11 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026 or policy CS9 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026.
7. The application fails to provide any information it relation to the impact on biodiversity and ecology. The proposal represents a severance of ecological links through overdevelopment and culverting and the net loss of biodiversity would be detrimental to the ecology and environment of the site and City. As no mitigation is proposed the proposed development is contrary to policy CS12 of the Oxford Core Strategy.
8. The application is not supported by a Flood Risk Assessment and therefore the proposal fails to provide sufficient robust evidence to satisfactorily demonstrate that the development will be safe for its lifetime and or provide a suitable basis for assessment to be made of the flood risks arising from the proposed development contrary to Policies SP18 of the SHP, CP22 of the OLP and CS11 of the CS and paragraphs 102 and 103 of the NPPF.
9. The proposed development fails to provide adequate quantity or quality of outdoor amenity space for all to the detriment of future occupiers' residential amenity. The proposed shared garden space is inadequate in size and would provide a poor outlook towards the car park and bin area and as such is contrary to policy CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and policy HP13 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.
10. The proposal, because of the comings and goings to and from the backland location of the proposed residential units and parking area, represent an un-neighbourly form of development as existing neighbouring householders are likely to suffer from noise and disturbance to their private gardens to the detriment of the residential amenities they should reasonably expect to enjoy. As a result, the development cannot be considered acceptable in the context of the Council's adopted planning policies, specifically Policy CP1, CP10, CP20 and CP21of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan (2013).