Site address:                      5 Warnborough Road, Oxford, OX2 6HZ

Proposal:                             Demolition of garage and erection of a two storey side extension  and single storey rear extension at basement level. (amended plans) (amended description)               

Reason at Committee: The application was called in by Councillors Fry, Munkonge, Upton and Pressel because of concerns about the possible harm to the Conservation Area.

Recommendation:

West 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 this 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 this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

The Committee considered an application (19/00316/FUL) for the demolition of a garage and erection of a two storey side extension  and single storey rear extension at basement level (amended plans) (amended description).

The application had been called in by Councillors Fry, Munkonge, Upton and Pressel because of concerns about the possible harm to the Conservation Area.

The Planning Officer presented the report, drawing particular attention to the reduction of the proposal from a three to a two storey extension and speaking to the previously distributed presentation, some slides of which had been improved for purposes of clarity. He provided the following updates to the report as published.

Paragraph 10.7 of the officer report referred to the PPG. The report should  have stated that “as provided for by the Conservation Areas (Application of Section 74 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990) Direction 2015”.

Paragraph 10.10 of the officer report referred to paragraph 196 of the NPPF. This was only relevant where it is considered that the proposals would give rise to less than substantial harm to the Conservation Area. Officers had made the assessment, as required by the NPPF, and concluded that there would be no harm caused by the proposals. In reaching this view, officers had placed great weight on the importance of the significance of the Conservation Area as a designated heritage asset as required by Paragraph 193 of the NPPF.

The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions as set out in Section 12 of the officer report.

Mr Neil Warner and Mr Dominic-Brooke Read (Agent and Architect for the applicant) spoke in favour of the application and answered questions, mentioning, among other things, that the extension when viewed from the street would not have the appearance of a two storey addition because of differences in ground level.

The Committee was reminded that the extension would be of red brick as the rest of the house. The officers’ view was that the proposed extension would preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The proposal maintained a visible gap between it and the neighbouring property.  The slope of the roof of the extension was noted to echo that of house. The Committee considered that the proposal was a sympathetic development, similar to others in Warnborough Road and the result of good liaison between officers and applicant. The view was expressed that the proposal  was an example of good design in a conservation area.

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

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

West Area Planning Committee resolved 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 this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Acting Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.