Site address:                   Bardwell Court, Bardwell Road, Oxford, OX2 6SX

Proposal:                         Variation of condition 2 (Conservation Areas) and 13 (Privacy screen) of planning permission 19/00168/VAR (Variation of condition 2(Develop in accordance with approved plans) of planning permission 17/02109/FUL (Partial demolition of existing building, alteration and extension to create a new link, rear extension and provision of bin and cycle stores. Removal of trees and landscaping.  (amended plans) to allow improvements to access, brickwork and circulation around the building.)) to lower the first floor terrace screens to 19 Bardwell Road.       

Reason at Committee     This application entails the agreeing of significant amendments to an application (17/02109/FUL) originally called into, and determined at, planning committee.

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.     Refuse the application for the reasons given below and finalise the recommended reason for refusing the application as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

a.     Having had regard to the views that would be possible into and out of the terraced area which the privacy screens in question serve as well as to the context of the site, the proposed development would introduce an unacceptable loss of privacy through overlooking between the first floor terraced area of Unit 2 at 19 Bardwell Road and neighbours. As a result of these impacts the proposed development has not been designed in a manner that would protect the residential amenities of the adjoining properties which would be contrary to Policy CP1 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan.

The Committee considered an application (20/00616/VAR) for planning permission for the variation of condition 2 (Conservation Areas) and 13 (Privacy screen) of planning permission 19/00168/VAR (Variation of condition 2 (Develop in accordance with approved plans) of planning permission 17/02109/FUL (Partial demolition of existing building, alteration and extension to create a new link, rear extension and provision of bin and cycle stores. Removal of trees and landscaping (amended plans) to allow improvements to access, brickwork and circulation around the building)) to lower the first floor terrace screens to 19 Bardwell Road.

The Planning Officer presented the report.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it. The Committee was mindful that the specification for the height of the first floor terrace screens had been an important factor in the determination of the original application and they were not persuaded that there were grounds to support a variation to the original planning permission.

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

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.     Refuse the application for the reasons given below and finalise the recommended reason for refusing the application as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

·       Having had regard to the views that would be possible into and out of the terraced area which the privacy screens in question serve as well as to the context of the site, the proposed development would introduce an unacceptable loss of privacy through overlooking between the first floor terraced area of Unit 2 at 19 Bardwell Road and neighbours. As a result of these impacts the proposed development has not been designed in a manner that would protect the residential amenities of the adjoining properties which would be contrary to Policy CP1 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan.

Andrew Murdoch, Development Management Service Manager, left the meeting at the end of this item.