The West Area Planning Committee appoints Councillor …. as Chair for the Council year 2013/14.

Resolved to elect Councillor Oscar Van Nooijen as Chair for the Council Year 2013/14

The West Area Planning Committee appoints Councillor …. as Vice Chair for the Council year 2013/14.

Resolved to elect Councillor Mike Gotch as Vice Chair for the Council Year 2013/14

The Council and Committee programme for the Council years 2013/14 and 2014/15 was agreed by Council on 22 April 2013.  The start time for the West Area Planning Committee has been assumed as 6pm. 

The Committee confirms the start time of its meetings for the remainder of the Council year 2013/14 will be 6pm.

Resolved that West Area Planning Committee meetings will start at 6.30pm during the Council Year 2013/14.

The following apologies for absence were received:-

Councillor Cook -  Councillor Khan substituted;

Councillor Jones – Councillor Goddard substituted;

Councillor Tanner – Councillor Paule substituted;

Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in any of the following agenda items.  Guidance on this is set out at the end of these agenda pages.

None

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ITEM WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT AFTER THE AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED. AS A RESULT, IT WILL NOT BE HEARD AT THE MEETING

The Head of City Development has submitted a report which details a planning application to erect a new accommodation block for 57 additional bedrooms, new entrance, extension to dining room, covered delivery area, additional 20 car parking spaces and amended access drive.

Officer recommendation: That the Committee REFUSE the planning application for the following reasons:

  1        As a result of the significant size and scale of the extensions proposed and their consequent prominence within the landscape, the proposals represent an inappropriate form of development within the Green Belt to the detriment of its long term openness which would only be exacerbated by the loss of existing boundary vegetation. The proposals are therefore unacceptable and fail to comply with the requirements of policy CS4 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as policies CP1 and CP8 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Government guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.

 2         The proposed development would take place within Flood Zone 3a as designated by the Environment Agency. The proposals have not been supported by an adequate Flood Risk Assessment and fails to satisfactorily demonstrate that the proposals would not result in an increased risk of flooding locally or elsewhere. The proposals therefore fail to comply with the requirements of policy CS11 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026 as well as Government guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.

 3         The proposed development would result in the direct loss of a mature Goat Willow tree and construction within the root protection areas of a number of other trees along the north-eastern boundary of the site. Whilst the proposals have not been accompanied by an adequate assessment of the arboricultural implications of the development it is clear that existing boundary vegetation along the drainage channel will be significantly harmed with the consequence that the extended hotel complex would be noticeably more prominent within the surrounding landscape. The proposals are therefore considered to be contrary to the requirements of policies CP1, CP11 and NE15 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 as well as policy CS4 of the Oxford Core Strategy 2026. 

 4         The hotel is located along a main vehicular route into the centre of Oxford relatively close to trunk routes and the bypass of the city. Consequently the majority of guests staying at the hotel arrive by car with the level of car travel considered to be likely to greater than that expected of a typical hotel within the city and more similar to that to be associated with a hotel or motel at a peripheral location. Consequently, and in the absence of a robust transport assessment to demonstrate otherwise, the level of car parking proposed to serve the extended hotel is considered to be inadequate contrary to policies CP1 and TR3 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016.

5. In the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

This application was withdrawn by the applicant before the meeting.

The Head of City Development has submitted a report which details a planning application to remove two lime trees and replace with four fastigiate beech trees. Details submitted in accordance with condition 10 (landscaping) of planning permission 06/01796/FUL for student study rooms and educational accommodation.

Officer recommendation: That the Committee REFUSE the planning application because:

The Council as local planning authority considers that the details submitted in compliance with condition number 10 would not accord with the policies of the Oxford Core Strategy, as it  would result in the loss of two specimen lime trees that are an essential component of the north Oxford landscape vernacular within the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area; would  be replaced by inappropriate species; would not preserve the special character and appearance of the conservation area; and would harm the setting of an adjacent listed building.  It would also result in the loss of the views of the lime trees which was a material consideration in the original decision.

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated now appended) which detailed a planning application for the removal of two lime trees and their replacement with four fastigiate beech trees at Lady Margaret Hall, Norham Gardens (application number 06/01796/CND3).

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, John Simpson (agent on behalf of the Applicant) spoke in favour of the application. No-one spoke against it.

Resolved to REFUSE the application for reasons set out in the planning officer’s report.

To receive information on planning appeals received and determined during April 2013.

The Committee is asked to NOTE this information.

Resolved to note the report on planning appeals received and determined during April 2013.

Minutes from 8 May 2013

Recommendation: That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 May 2013 be APPROVED as a true and accurate record.

Resolved to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th May 2013.

The following items are listed for information. They are not for discussion at this meeting.

·        New Road / Tidmarsh Lane: 13/00843/FUL & 13/00844/CAC: Science Museum and Innovations Centre.

·        29 Wolvercote Green: 13/00866/FUL: Extensions.

·        Former Ruskin College, Walton St: 13/01075/LBD & 12/01074/FUL: Educational & student accommodation.

·        Roger Dudman Way: 13/00636/FUL: 9 student study rooms plus footbridge.

Resolved to note the following list of forthcoming applications:-

·        New Road / Tidmarsh Lane: 13/00843/FUL & 13/00844/CAC: Science Museum and Innovations Centre;

·        29 Wolvercote Green: 13/00866/FUL: Extensions;

·        Former Ruskin College, Walton St: 13/01075/LBD & 12/01074/FUL: Educational & student accommodation;

·        Roger Dudman Way: 13/00636/FUL: 9 student study rooms plus footbridge.

The Committee NOTES the following future meeting dates:

Tuesday 9 July 2013 (and Thursday 11 July if necessary)

Tuesday 13 August 2013 (and Thursday 15 August if necessary)

Tuesday 12 September 2013 (and Thursday 12 September if necessary)

Tuesday 10 October 2013 (and Thursday 10 October if necessary)

Tuesday 12 November 2013 (and Thursday 14 November if necessary)

Tuesday 8 December 2013 (and Thursday 12 December if necessary)

Resolved to note the following future meeting dates:-

Tuesday 9 July 2013 (and Thursday 11 July if necessary)

Tuesday 13 August 2013 (and Thursday 15 August if necessary)

Tuesday 10 September 2013 (and Thursday 12 September if necessary)

Tuesday 8 October 2013 (and Thursday 10 October if necessary)

Tuesday 12 November 2013 (and Thursday 14 November if necessary)

Tuesday 10 December 2013 (and Thursday 12 December if necessary)