In the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair, Councillor Clarkson was elected as Chair for this meeting.

Councillors Altaf-Khan, Coulter, Darke and Taylor submitted apologies. Councillors Wade, Cook, Smith and Paule substituted for them respectively.

Minute 56, application 15/02543/FUL: Councillor Smith declared that she had submitted an objection to the application and had predetermined her position. She would step down from the committee when it was discussed.

Site Address: Canterbury House, Rivera House and Adams House and Vacant Plot on Street Frontage, Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 2FQ.

Proposal: Change of use of Canterbury House, Adams House (Block B) and Rivera House (Block C) from Class B1 Business Use to 36 student study rooms with ancillary facilities. Outline application (seeking access, layout and scale) for 3 storey building (Block A) to provide 24 student study rooms with ancillary facilities.

Officer recommendation: to refuse the application for the following reasons:

1.    The proposed development would result in the loss of employment land in the absence of robust justification to the detriment of the economic vitality of the city and the important balance between employment and housing as a means of achieving sustainable development. Consequently the proposals fail to accord with the requirements of policy CS28 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.    The proposals would result in a height and scale of development that would, because of its scale and proximity to Canterbury House, cause harm to the streetscene and the character of the area and would cause substantial harm to the setting of the adjacent non-designated heritage asset of Canterbury House that is not outweighed by any public benefit contrary to the requirements of policies CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9 and CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, policies CS18, CS19 and CS22 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policies HP9 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026

3.    Having regard to the amount of student accommodation proposed together with existing student accommodation and on the adjacent site as well as the proximity of family dwellings, the proposed development would be likely to cumulatively give rise to a level of noise and disturbance that would cause significant harm to the amenity enjoyed by occupiers of nearby dwellings and have a significant impact on the mix and balance of the local community to the detriment of the character of the local area and successful community cohesion. Consequently in this respect the proposals are found to be contrary to the requirements of Policies CP1, CP10, CP19 and CP21 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 as well as Policy HP5 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

4.    The proposals would represent an overdevelopment of the site, as indicated by the poor level of outdoor amenity space and highly constrained parking and servicing arrangements within the site. The likely result would be an inadequate quality of living accommodation for future occupiers and overflow car parking in the surrounding roads, to the detriment of the safe and free flow of traffic and the amenities of existing neighbours of the site, contrary to policies CP1, CP6, CP8, CP9 and CP10 and TR3 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, policies CS18, and CS25 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policies HP5, HP9, HP15 and HP16 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2011-2026.

Councillor Henwood arrived during this item and took no part in the debate or decision.

The Committee considered an application for the change of use of Canterbury House, Adams House (Block B) and Rivera House (Block C) on Cowley Road from Class B1 Business Use to 36 student study rooms with ancillary facilities and for outline permission (seeking access, layout and scale) for a 3 storey building (Block A) to provide 24 student study rooms with ancillary facilities.

Nik Lyzba, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

The Committee asked questions of the officer and the agent covering areas including recent changes in the supply of available employment land; the application of policy; and marketing.

A motion to refuse the application was lost on being put to the vote; a motion to approve the application was lost on the Chair’s casting vote. The Committee agreed to defer the application for further information on any recent changes in the supply of and need for available employment land; the impact of this on the application of policy; and options for the use of this site.

The Committee resolved to defer consideration of application 15/02542/OUT to allow officers to provide information on any recent changes in the supply of and need for available employment land; the impact of this on the application of policy; and options for the use of this site.

Site Address: Site of former Friar Public House, 2 Old Marston Road Oxford

Proposal: Erection of 3-storey building to provide student accommodation of 30 number ensuite rooms with kitchen/diner to each floor and communal hall; and provision of covered bin store, bicycle parking and communal garden; and erection of laundry building.

Officer recommendation: to support the development in principle but defer the application in order to draw up a legal agreement in the terms outlined below and delegate to officers the issuing of the notice of permission, subject to conditions, on its completion:

Conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Materials to be approved.

4.    Landscaping Scheme.

5.    Boundary Treatments.

6.    Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) 1.

7.    Tree Protection Measures.

8.    Renewable Energy Generation.

9.    Laundry Room.

10. Cycle Parking.

11. Bin store.

12. Construction Traffic Management Plan.

13. Agreement - no cars.

14. Student use.

15. Variation of Local Traffic Order.

16. Drop off arrangements.

17. Day to day management.

18. Student travel packs.

19. Signage.

20. Lighting.

21. Surface water management.

22. Biodiversity enhancement measures.

Legal Agreement: an off-site affordable housing contribution in accordance with Policy HP6.

Councillor Smith withdrew from the room for the duration of this item.

The Committee considered an application for the erection of a 3-storey building to provide student accommodation of 30 ensuite rooms with kitchen/diner to each floor and communal hall; and provision of covered bin store, bicycle parking and communal garden; and erection of laundry building at 2 Old Marston Road.

The Chair used her discretion to permit a local resident who had arrived late and not registered in time to speak. He spoke against the application.

The Committee agreed to add or amend conditions to require provision of a disabled person’s parking space on site should this be required by a resident; and prevent use other than by full- time university-age students.

The Committee resolved to support the development in principle but defer determination of application 15/02543/FUL in order to draw up a legal agreement in the terms outlined below and delegate to officers the issuing of the notice of permission, subject to conditions below, on its completion:

Conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Materials to be approved.

4.    Landscaping Scheme.

5.    Boundary Treatments.

6.    Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) 1.

7.    Tree Protection Measures.

8.    Renewable Energy Generation.

9.    Laundry Room.

10.Cycle Parking.

11.Bin store.

12.Construction Traffic Management Plan.

13.Agreement - no cars.

14.Student use (full time university students only)

15.Variation of Local Traffic Order.

16.Drop off arrangements.

17.Day to day management.

18.Student travel packs.

19.Signage.

20.Lighting.

21.Surface water management.

22.Biodiversity enhancement measures.

23.Disabled parking space to be available

Legal Agreement: an off-site affordable housing contribution in accordance with Policy HP6.

Site Address: Ashlar House, adjacent 2 Glanville Road, Oxford

Proposal: Demolition of existing builder's yard; erection of 3 x 3 bed dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) and 3 x4 bed dwellinghouse (Use Class C3); and provision of private amenity space, car parking, cycling and bins storage.

Officer recommendation: to grant planning permission for this development, subject to the conditions and a S106 Legal Agreement in the terms outlined below, and delegate to officers the completion of that legal agreement and the issuing of the notice of permission subject to conditions.

Conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Development in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Samples of materials.

4.    Landscape plan required.

5.    Landscape carry out after completion.

6.    Boundary details - development commencement.

7.    Sight lines.

8.    Details of cycle parking, waste & recycling storage areas.

9.    Suspected contamination - risk assess, Phase 2 and Phase 3 assessment required.

10. Bat & Bird Boxes integrated into building.

11. Surface drainage scheme.

Legal agreement: to secure affordable housing contributions for the delivery of off-site affordable housing provision.

The Committee considered an application for the demolition of existing builder's yard; erection of 3 x 3 bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3) and 3 x4 bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3); and provision of private amenity space, car parking, cycling and bins storage on land adjacent to 2 Glanville Road.

Huw Vaughan Jones, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

The Committee considered the design, layout, and siting of the proposed dwellings. A motion to refuse permission on grounds of overlooking of the flats to the rear, cramped form and internal living space, and concerns over the tandem parking arrangements was lost on being put to the vote. The Committee agreed to defer consideration for further information.

The Committee resolved to defer consideration of application 15/00955/FUL to allow officers to provide information about compliance with policies on separation distances and the impact on the flats at the rear of plots 4, 5 and 6, in particular the impact on any windows to habitable rooms.

Site Address: Land to the rear of 17 Between Towns Road, Oxford.

Proposal: Outline application (seeking approval of access, appearance, layout and scale) for the erection of three storey building consisting of 6 x 2 bed flats (Use Class C3); provision of private amenity space, car parking, cycle and waste storage.

Officer recommendation: to support the development in principle but defer the application in order to draw up a legal agreement in the terms outlined below and delegate to officers the issuing of the notice of permission, subject to conditions, on its completion.

Conditions

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Reserved Matters.

3.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

4.    Materials to be approved.

5.    Parking.

6.    Specific car parking allocation.

7.    Cycle parking.

8.    Construction traffic management plan.

9.    Drainage.

10. Fire sprinkler system.

11. Archaeology Watching Brief.

12. Landscaping.

13. Boundary treatments.

14. Outdoor lighting.

15. Refuse and recycling store.

16. Plant.

17. No gate.

Legal Agreement: an off-site affordable housing contribution in accordance with Policy HP4

The Committee considered an outline application (seeking approval of access, appearance, layout and scale) for the erection of three storey building consisting of 6 x 2 bed flats (Use Class C3); provision of private amenity space, car parking, cycle and waste storage on land to rear of 17 Between Towns Road.

The Committee resolved to support the development in principle but defer determination of application 15/02245/OUT in order to draw up a legal agreement in the terms outlined below and delegate to officers the issuing of the notice of permission, subject to conditions, on its completion.

Conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Reserved Matters.

3.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

4.    Materials to be approved.

5.    Parking.

6.    Specific car parking allocation.

7.    Cycle parking.

8.    Construction traffic management plan.

9.    Drainage.

10.Fire sprinkler system.

11.Archaeology Watching Brief.

12.Landscaping.

13.Boundary treatments.

14.Outdoor lighting.

15.Refuse and recycling store.

16.Plant.

17.No gate.

Legal Agreement: an off-site affordable housing contribution in accordance with Policy HP4.

Site Address: Units 1F and 1G Templars Retail Park, Between Towns Road, Oxford.

Proposal: Change of use from vacant unit (Use Class A3) to gym (Use Class D2); external alterations to facilitate a single entrance.

Officer recommendation: to approve the application subject to the following conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Materials as specified.

4.    Noise breakout.

5.    Air conditioning, mechanical ventilation.

6.    Restricted use.

The Committee considered an application for the change of use from a vacant unit (Use Class A3) to gym (Use Class D2); external alterations to facilitate a single entrance at Templars Retail Park Units 1F and 1G.

The planning officer reported receipt of two further letters of objection.

Will Roberts, the agent, and Jonathan Best, representing the prospective owner, spoke in support of the application.

The Committee resolved to approve application 15/02288/FUL subject to the following conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Materials as specified.

4.    Noise breakout.

5.    Air conditioning, mechanical ventilation.

6.    Restricted use.

Site Address: 82 Normandy Crescent, Oxford OX4 2TN.

Proposal: Change of use from dwelling house (C3) to House in Multiple Occupation (Use Class C4).

Officer recommendation: to approve planning permission with the following conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Parking.

4.    Retention of low wall.

5.    SUDs.

6.    Refuse, recycling and cycle storage.

7.    Use of garage.

The Committee considered an application for the change of use from dwelling house (C3) to House in Multiple Occupation (Use Class C4) at 82 Normandy Crescent.

The planning officer reported comments from the highways authority regarding ownership of the land used for manoeuvring and a further objection from the civic society. He recommended, and the Committee agreed, a condition requiring parking arrangements to be completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority before occupation.

Paul Beesley, a local resident, spoke against the application. He informed the committee that he was a council employee but was speaking solely in his capacity as a resident.

Huw Mellor, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

The Committee resolved to approve planning permission for application 15/02578/FUL with the following conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Parking, to be completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority before first occupation.

4.    Retention of low wall.

5.    SUDs.

6.    Refuse, recycling and cycle storage.

7.    Use of garage.

Site Address: 28 Merewood Avenue

Proposal: Erection of a single storey side and rear extension.

Officer recommendation: to approve the application subject to the following conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Materials – matching.

The Committee considered an application for the erection of a single storey side and rear extension.

The Committee resolved to approve the application subject to the following conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit.

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Materials – matching.

Summary information on planning appeals received and determined during October may be circulated with the supplement to this agenda.

The Committee is asked to note this information.

The Committee noted the monthly report on planning appeals would be submitted to the next meeting.

The Committee resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 October 2015 were a true and accurate record.

The Committee noted the list of forthcoming applications.

The Committee noted the dates.