The Committee considered an application (22/03042/RES) for erection of a commercial building (revised design of approved Red Hall) and immediate hard landscaping at Oxford North Northern Gateway land adjacent A44 A40 A34 and Wolvercote Roundabout, A40 section from Cherwell District Council boundary to Wolvercote Roundabout, Oxford.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:

·       The Red Hall building, alongside two employment buildings, had been approved as part of the detailed hybrid planning permission 18/02065/OUTFUL.  It was intended to function as a striking landmark centrepiece for the site with retail and café units on the ground floor and office space on the upper floors, and was to be clad in distinctive red powder-coated aluminium.  The application sought reserved matters approval for an enlarged Red Hall building, including a three storey side extension to the approved building.

·       The application related to development on land which fell within both the full and outline permissions covered under planning application 18/02065/OUTFUL.  As it crossed the boundaries of the areas defined on the approved plans as being the subject of both the detailed and the outline permission, it had been considered necessary for the relevant plans accompanying the hybrid permission to be amended to reflect the changes being sought under the reserved matters application: principally, amendment to the plan for the full application such that the entirety of the Red Hall application fell outside of it.  Officers considered that, procedurally, an application would need to be made under Section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act before the reserved matters application could be determined, with consent being subject to the prior approval of the Section 96A application.  The proposed changes were considered to be non-material in the context of the wider masterplan.

·       The enlarged building would allow for a greater amount of floor space at ground floor level for use as café, retail and community space and improved functioning of the building.  This had been achieved by moving the core of the building, including internal stairs, lifts and cycle storage.  Enlivening of the north elevation of the building would also result in a better relationship with the public realm as compared to the approved scheme.

·       One comment from a member of the public had been received since publication of the report.  This had expressed objection to the red colour of the building, its height, and general scale in relation to the character of the surrounding area.

·       Officers considered that the extension would be subservient to the main section of the building and that it was acceptable in design terms and harmonised appropriately with the approved design.  The height of the main building would be unchanged from the approved plans, and sat within the Heights Parameter Plan for Oxford North.  The amendments would allow the building to function more effectively as a social hub for the site by providing more space for communal, retail and café use and by enlivening the frontages across all elevations of the building and the external spaces surrounding it.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68