Site address:                   Land adjacent to 279 Abingdon Road

Proposal:                        Erection of a three storey building to create 3 x 1-bed and 6 x 2-bed flats (Use Class C3). Provision of car parking and bin and cycle storage.

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to refuse the planning application for the following reasons:

1.       The proposal fails to provide an appropriate mix of housing in an area identified in considerable need of family housing and is therefore contrary to Policy CS23 of the Core Strategy and the Balance of Dwellings Supplementary Planning Document.

2.       The proposed development by reason of its appearance, height and massing on a rear backland plot would appear unduly prominent and out of keeping with the character and appearance of the surrounding area contrary to policies CP1, CP8, CP9, CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, MP1 and HP9 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013 and CS18 of the Core Strategy.

3.       The proposed development of this rear backland plot by reason of its appearance, internal layout, height, massing and proximity to the western boundary would unacceptably prejudice the re-development of the former petrol station site to the west adjoining fronting the Abingdon Road to the detriment of effective, efficient and acceptable form of development on an allocated site contrary to CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9, CP10 and SP18.

4.       The proposed development by reason of its overall height and massing and number of large east facing windows, together with balconies and private terraces would result in an unacceptable level of overlooking into the adjoining properties gardens and houses to the east on Peel Place and a significant sense of being overlooked by the occupiers of those properties to the detriment of existing and future occupiers' residential amenity contrary to Policies CP1, CP8, CP9, CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

5.       The proposed development by reason of the height, massing and proximity to the eastern boundary with adjoining properties to the east on Peel Place and proximity to adjoining property to the south would appear overbearing and visually dominant to these properties and their gardens contrary to Policies CP1, CP8, CP9, CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

6.       The updated FRA fails to provide a suitable basis for assessment to be made of the flood risks arising from the proposed development; furthermore the proposals do not make provision for a route of egress in event of flooding. The proposals would therefore be contrary to Policies SP18 of the SHP, CP22 of the OLP and CS11 of the CS and paragraphs 102 and 103 of the NPPF.

7.       The development as proposed fails to make safe provision for access and the movement of pedestrians, furthermore the existing vehicular means of access would be unsuitable to accommodate the intensification in vehicular use which would arise as a result of the development. The proposals would therefore compromise the safe movement of pedestrians and would be to the detriment of highway amenity and the safe movement of road users contrary to the provisions of Policies CP9 and TR4 of the Oxford Local Plan; Policy CS13 of the Core Strategy and Paragraph 32 of the NPPF.

The Committee considered an application (18/00673/FUL) for planning permission for residential development of a back land brownfield plot adjacent to 279 Abingdon Road, which formerly comprised an area of car parking (serving the former Fox and Hounds public house). The proposed development would comprise of a single building consisting of 9 flats (3x1 bed and 6x2 bed units).

The Planning Officer presented the report and explained that although the current application differed in terms of design, the overall form and scale of development remained broadly similar to the previous application which had been refused. The current proposals did address some of the previous reasons for refusal, namely in respect of affordable housing, the provision of outdoor amenity space and the provision of on-site renewables but overall the current application failed to address the majority of the previous reasons for refusal.

Dr Phil Fryer, accompanied by Sue Smith, representing the residents of Weir Lane and Peel Place, spoke against the application.

The Committee noted the following points:

·       That the benefit of a legal agreement to secure a contribution to off-site affordable housing was not sufficient to outweigh the reasons for refusal

·       That the Highway Authority’s objections, which had been raised in relation to the previous application for the site, and which remained relevant to the current application were significant

·       That the principle of residential development on the development site was acceptable and that an appropriate application should not be rejected just because it failed to encompass the adjacent petrol station site

·       That the siting and scale of the proposed development would compromise any future development of the adjacent petrol station site

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

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

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to refuse the planning application for the following reasons:

1. The proposal fails to provide an appropriate mix of housing in an area identified in considerable need of family housing and is therefore contrary to Policy CS23 of the Core Strategy and the Balance of Dwellings Supplementary Planning Document.

2. The proposed development by reason of its appearance, height and massing on a rear backland plot would appear unduly prominent and out of keeping with the character and appearance of the surrounding area contrary to policies CP1, CP8, CP9, CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, MP1 and HP9 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013 and CS18 of the Core Strategy.

3. The proposed development of this rear backland plot by reason of its appearance, internal layout, height, massing and proximity to the western boundary would unacceptably prejudice the re-development of the former petrol station site to the west adjoining fronting the Abingdon Road to the detriment of effective, efficient and acceptable form of development on an allocated site contrary to CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9, CP10 and SP18.

4. The proposed development by reason of its overall height and massing and number of large east facing windows, together with balconies and private terraces would result in an unacceptable level of overlooking into the adjoining properties gardens and houses to the east on Peel Place and a significant sense of being overlooked by the occupiers of those properties to the detriment of existing and future occupiers' residential amenity contrary to Policies CP1, CP8, CP9, CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

5.     The proposed development by reason of the height, massing and proximity to the eastern boundary with adjoining properties to the east on Peel Place and proximity to adjoining property to the south would appear overbearing and visually dominant to these properties and their gardens contrary to Policies CP1, CP8, CP9, CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

6. The updated FRA fails to provide a suitable basis for assessment to be made of the flood risks arising from the proposed development; furthermore the proposals do not make provision for a route of egress in event of flooding. The proposals would therefore be contrary to Policies SP18 of the SHP, CP22 of the OLP and CS11 of the CS and paragraphs 102 and 103 of the NPPF.

7.     The development as proposed fails to make safe provision for access and the movement of pedestrians, furthermore the existing vehicular means of access would be unsuitable to accommodate the intensification in vehicular use which would arise as a result of the development. The proposals would therefore compromise the safe movement of pedestrians and would be to the detriment of highway amenity and the safe movement of road users contrary to the provisions of Policies CP9 and TR4 of the Oxford Local Plan; Policy CS13 of the Core Strategy and Paragraph 32 of the NPPF.