Site Address:        

Northgate House, 13 - 20 Cornmarket Street, Oxford, OX1 3HE

Proposal:

Application for planning permission for the demolition of the existing building to ground level and the erection of a replacement building to provide replacement commercial units on the basement, ground and first floors, and new teaching facilities, ancillary accommodation and student fellows rooms on the upper floors for Jesus College. (Amended Plans)

Reason at Committee:

This application was determined at the West Area Planning Committee meeting on 10 July 2018. That decision has been called-in to the Planning Review Committee by Councillors Harris, Gant, Goff, Goddard, Simmons, Bely-Summers, Haines, Upton, Gotch, Pressel, Rowley, Kennedy, Taylor, Altaf-Khan, and Henwood.

Recommendation:

The Planning Review 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 7 of this report and grant planning permission:

(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.

The Committee considered an application for planning permission for the demolition of the existing building to ground level and the erection of a replacement building to provide replacement commercial units on the basement, ground and first floors, and new teaching facilities, ancillary accommodation and student fellows rooms on the upper floors for Jesus College (amended plans) at Northgate House, 13 - 20 Cornmarket Street, Oxford, OX1 3HE.

This application had been called in to the Planning Review Committee for reconsideration following the decision at West Area Planning Committee on 10 July 2018.

The Planning Officer introduced the report to the committee including the recommendations and conditions and the report to the West Area Planning Committee. He reported one additional representation repeating earlier points.

He presented an additional slide showing the heights of towers and high buildings in the city centre compared to the proposed 21.3m high gatehouse element of the application.

He recommended and the Committee agreed an additional condition (as recommended by West Area Planning Committee) to seek active retail frontages onto Market Street.

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt (Principal, Jesus College), Stuart Cade (Architect), spoke in favour of the application. David Stevenson (Jesus College) and Neil Warner (JPPC) attended to respond to questions.

The Committee discussion included, but was not limited to the following points: 

·         There was general support for all elements of the scheme in particular the improvements to the entrance to Market Street, the change to the relationship with Jesus College, and the improvements to the public realm.

·         Some Members of the Committee expressed concern about the height and bulkiness of the gatehouse tower and its impact on both the street scene and views from high vantage points. There was a view that the tower element should be reduced in height.

·         There was concern about the breach of current policy relating to a maximum building height of 18.2m apart from minor elements. The planning officer explained that this was not an absolute maximum as some elements of a development could exceed this if it was appropriate, and the emerging Local Plan was considering how to allow for taller elements of buildings where this positively enhanced the skyline without diminishing the existing views.

·         The Committee noted the buildings in the city centre which exceeded the 18.2m height and in some cases exceeded the gatehouse tower height. The removal of the gatehouse tower could not be done in isolation as it would fundamentally change the overall design of the building and its function as a focal point linking the college and the new building and as a partially public space and viewing point. The tower broke up the bulk of the building and provided a suitable focal point.

In reaching a decision the Committee considered all the information put before it including the officer’s original and supplementary reports and presentation, the representations made by speakers, and the answers to questions.

On being put to a vote a majority of the Committee agreed with the officer recommendation as set out in the report, with the addition of a condition to seek active retail frontages onto Market Street.

The Planning Review Committee resolved to:

(a)       approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the 27 required planning conditions set out in section 7 of the officer’s report and an additional condition to seek active retail frontages onto Market Street, and grant planning permission;

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

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