Site address:           Greyfriars Court, Paradise Square, Oxford, OX1 1BE         

Proposal:                Demolition of existing building. Erection of a part 3, part 5 and part 6 storey hotel, with landscaping works in Paradise Square.             

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

(a) approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 13 of this report and grant planning permission subject to:

1. 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 this report; and

(b) agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to:

1. Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary;

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

3. Complete the Section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

The Chair took this item next.

The Committee considered an application (17/00860/FUL) for planning permission for the demolition of the existing building and the erection of a part 3, part 5 and part 6 storey hotel, with landscaping works in Paradise Square.

The Planning Officer presented the report and said that the development would provide much-needed hotel accommodation in a sustainable location in the city. The application had been through a robust design review process and the officer recommendation reflected a careful weighing of public benefits against harm to heritage assets as required by paragraph 134 of the NPPF.  The Planning Officer drew the Committee’s attention to an error in Appendix 2 of the report:  The first two ODRP letters relate to this development, while the third letter on pages 157 and 158 relate to another development and should be ignored.

Stephen Booker (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee asked questions of the officers and public speaker about the details of the application and noted the following points:

·       There was a clear need for a budget hotel in the city as evidenced by the large volume of on-line enquiries (40,000 plus) received by the applicant in September and October 2017

·       The argument set out in the report that the reduction of a single storey would not reduce the harm to the setting of the listed buildings and the conservation area but would have a detrimental impact on the viability of the scheme

·       That although the developer was sympathetic to the concerns of the local residents and mindful of their experiences during the construction of the Westgate this was a critical consideration which would need to be reflected in the agreed Construction Traffic Management Plan (Condition 10)

·       That 5% of the rooms would be accessible

·       The height of the application was compliant with the requirements of HE9

·       Conditions 16 and 17 Landscaping: concerns that the species selection of the proposed planting would need to be addressed

·       Condition 6: the detail of this condition should take account of the need for appropriate lighting in Paradise Gardens and the wider public realm

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it and on balance considered that overall the development would be a significant improvement to the setting of the street scene, Paradise Gardens and the setting of adjacent listed buildings.

On being put to the vote a majority of the Committee agreed with the officer recommendation.

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

(a) approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the 30 required planning conditions set out in section 13 of this report and grant planning permission subject to:

1.     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 this report;

2.     The details of the Construction Traffic Management Plan (Condition 10) to be agreed with the Chair of West Area Planning prior to commencement; and

(b) agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to:

1.     Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary;

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

Complete the Section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.