Councillor Colin Cook was elected Chair for the Council year 2020-21.

Councillor Mike Gotch was elected Vice-Chair for the Council year 2020-21.

The Chair stated that the Oxford Local Plan 2036 had been formally adopted by Council on 8 June 2020 and that the policies in this document now had full weight in the determination of the applications before the Committee.

 All applications

Councillor Cook stated that as a Council appointed trustee for the Oxford Preservation Trust and as a member of the Oxford Civic Society, he had taken no part in those organisations’ discussions or decision making regarding the applications before the Committee.  He said that he was approaching all of the applications with an open mind, would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision.

Councillor Wade stated that as a member of the Oxford Civic Society, she had taken no part in those organisations’ discussions or decision making regarding the applications before the Committee and that she was approaching the applications with an open mind, would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision.

Minute 5: 19/03106/FUL

Councillors Clarkson and Hollingsworth said they would step down from the committee, leave the meeting and take no part in the debate or vote on this item. They were precluded from taking part in this application because of their role as part of the shareholder group of the Oxford City Housing Limited company (the applicant) which could give rise to a public perception of bias should they take part in the decision.

Minute 7: 19/03149/FUL

Councillor Cook stated that he was declaring a non-prejudicial interest in this application as he was an employee of the University and worked in a building adjacent to the application site.  However, he had taken no part in the University discussions or decision making regarding the application before the Committee.  He said that he was approaching the application with an open mind, would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision.

Councillors Clarkson and Hollingsworth left the meeting before the next item.

Site address:                  Lucy Faithfull House, 8 Speedwell Street, Oxford, OX1 1PX

Proposal:                        Full Planning Application for the erection of 36no. dwellings (C3 Use Class) including 50% affordable housing with associated access, parking and landscaping on the site of the former Lucy Faithfull House

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.     Delegate authority of the Head of Planning Services to approve the application following the expiry of the notice period of 21 days and completion of the appropriate certificate relating to the requisite serving of certificate B, as required under the Town and County Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015; for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report.

2.     Agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

·       Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

·       Decide whether to refer the application back to the West Area Planning Committee following the expiry of the notice period, if considered reasonably necessary.

The Committee considered an application (19/03106/FUL) for planning permission for the erection of 36 dwellings (C3 Use Class) including 50% affordable housing with associated access, parking and landscaping on the site of the former Lucy Faithfull House.          

The Planning Officer presented the report and recommended the following updates:

•           A variation to Condition 5 to reduce the number of cycle parking spaces from 76 to 73

•           A new condition for the provision of electric charging points for the two disabled parking spaces

Alan Wylde, on behalf of the applicant Oxford City Housing Limited, spoke in favour of the application.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it. With regard to the height of the development the Committee was persuaded by the arguments put forward in the officer report and the provisions of the new Local Plan for greater variation of building height in the city centre. The Committee concluded that this was a good use of a city centre brownfield site and that the public benefits of the scheme, particularly in terms of the provision of 36 homes, 18 of which would be affordable would outweigh the less than substantial harm presented by the height of the development. 

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application subject to the inclusion of the new condition and the amendment to Condition 5 detailed above.

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.         Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to approve the application following the expiry of the notice period of 21 days and completion of the appropriate certificate as required under the Town and County Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015; for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report and subject to the inclusion of the new condition and the amendment to Condition 5; and

2.         delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

•           Finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

•           Decide whether to refer the application back to the West Area Planning Committee following the expiry of the notice period, if considered reasonably necessary.

Councillors Clarkson and Hollingsworth rejoined the meeting at the conclusion of this item.

Site address:                  St Pauls House, Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6ER

Proposal:                        Partial demolition of existing buildings. External alterations and additions to St Pauls House, including external cladding and roof extension to form a fourth floor. Erection of new four storey building fronting Cranham Street. Change of use of extended ground floor to Class A1 (retail), Class A2 (professional and financial services) and Class B1 (office), and provision of nine new Class C3 dwellings (including 4x2 bedroom flats and 5x3 bedroom flats). Provision of four car parking spaces.

Recommendation:

The 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 the report and grant planning permission subject to;

a.     Confirmation from the Lead Local Flood Authority that they have no outstanding objections to the proposed development; and

2.     agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

a.     finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

The Committee considered an application (19/02531/FUL) for planning permission for the partial demolition of existing buildings. External alterations and additions to St Pauls House, including external cladding and roof extension to form a fourth floor. Erection of new four storey building fronting Cranham Street. Change of use of extended ground floor to Class A1 (retail), Class A2 (professional and financial services) and Class B1 (office), and provision of nine new Class C3 dwellings (including 4x2 bedroom flats and 5x3 bedroom flats). Provision of four car parking spaces.

The Planning Officer presented the report and gave the following updates:

•           The Lead Local Flood Authority had confirmed that they have no outstanding objections to the proposed development and so this clause should be deleted from the recommendation before the Committee and Conditions 17 and 18 would be updated to reflect that position

•           The applicant had advised that 100% of the parking spaces would have electric charging points and the application plans would be amended to reflect that

•           Condition 10 (Energy Statement) would be updated to reflect that the application was compliant with the 25% energy reduction policy (RE1) of the new Local Plan

The Planning Officer recommended the inclusion of a new condition to require the 4 vehicle parking bays to be restricted to use by the tenants of the commercial units.

Steven Roberts (agent), Paul Southouse (architect) and Ian Ashcroft (applicant) spoke in favour of the application and answered questions from the Committee on the detail of the application.

The Committee noted the design justification for the “recessed alcoves” to the retail units on the Cranham Street frontage but expressed concerns that this may give rise to late night anti-social behaviour.

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application subject to the changes and addition to the conditions detailed above.

The 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, the amendments to the conditions detailed above and the inclusion of a new condition restricting the use of the car parking bays; and grant planning permission; and

2.         delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

•           finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

Site address:                   Site Of Oxford University Science Area, South Parks Road, Oxford

Proposal:                        Public realm works, including hard and soft landscaping, rationalisation of car and cycle parking, provision of new cycle store buildings and creation of public spaces.                   

Recommendation:

The 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 11 of the report and grant planning permission; and

2.     agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

·       finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary

The Committee considered an application (19/03149/FUL) for planning permission for public realm works, including hard and soft landscaping, rationalisation of car and cycle parking, provision of new cycle store buildings and creation of public spaces.

The Planning Officer presented the report and recommended the inclusion of two additional conditions for:

•           cycle parking to be provided and maintained in accordance with approved plans

•           Bicycle Parking Maintenance Plan which would ensure that “abandoned” bikes could be removed in order to maintain adequate provision of cycle parking spaces.

The Planning Officer advised that as the applicant had confirmed that 10% of the car parking spaces would have electric charging points, the application plans would be amended to reflect that.

Steven Roberts, agent, spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee asked questions of the officers about the details of the application in relation to the proposed landscaping and the safety implications of the shared surfaces. The Committee noted that access to the covered bike shelters would be controlled and that this would be secured by the new condition.

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 subject to the inclusion of the two additional conditions relating to cycle parking detailed above.

The 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 11 of the report and subject to the addition of two new conditions relating to cycle parking and grant planning permission; and

2.         delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

•           finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

Recommendation: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2020 as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2020 as a true and accurate record.

Items currently expected to be considered by the committee at future meetings are listed for information. This is not a definitive list and applications may be added or removed at any point. These are not for discussion at this meeting.

The Committee noted the list of forthcoming applications.

Future meetings of the Committee are scheduled on:

These meetings will be held remotely until further notice.

Remote meetings will commence at 3pm; joining details will be provided nearer the time and published on the website.

The Committee noted the dates of future meetings.