Councillor Munkonge stated that he was a graduate of Oxford Brookes University and that he had also called the application in to committee. He said that he had expressed no view on the application and had not made his mind up on the matter and approached it with an open mind.

Councillor Fry stated that he had called the application in to committee but he had expressed no view on the application and had not made his mind up on the matter and approached it with an open mind.

Councillor Smowton stated that he was a member of the campaigning group Oxford YIMBY, but was not aware that the group had taken any stance on the application and he was approaching the application with an open mind.

Councillor Coyne stated that she was the ward councillor for Headington Hill and Northway and although she had been in contact with local residents regarding the application she had not made her mind up on the matter and approached it with an open mind.

Councillor Miles stated that she was a member of Cyclox, an organisation which had commented on the application but that she had taken no part in the organisation’s discussions or decision making regarding the application before the Committee.  She said that she 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.

Site address:                      Site Of Blocks C F G H J K L And M, Clive Booth Hall, John Garne Way, Oxford, OX3 0FN

Proposal:                             Demolition of twelve buildings (including main accommodation Blocks C, F, G, H, J, K, L and M) and erection of twelve buildings to provide student accommodation, with ancillary communal and social facilities and associated administrative building (Class C2). Erection of children's nursery (Class E). Alterations to car parking, installation of cycle parking structures and associated landscaping works, including reorganisation of existing footpaths and cycle ways, drainage features and ancillary development. Installation of a waste compactor unit and alterations to an existing road to enable access.

Reason at Committee:      The application has been called in to Planning Review Committee by Councillors Upton, Rowley, Cook, Hollingsworth, Brown, Munkonge, Diggins, Fry, Pressell, Tidball, Aziz, Turner and Rehman.

Recommendation:

The Planning Review Committee is recommended to:

1.    Resolve to approve the application subject to:

·         the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in the report; 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;

·         complete the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in the report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in the report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

·         issue the planning permission.

The Committee considered an application (21/01185/FUL) for planning permission for the demolition of twelve buildings (including main accommodation Blocks C, F, G, H, J, K, L and M) and the erection of twelve buildings to provide student accommodation, with ancillary communal and social facilities and associated administrative building (Class C2) and the erection of children's nursery (Class E). Alterations to car parking, installation of cycle parking structures and associated landscaping works, including reorganisation of existing footpaths and cycle ways, drainage features and ancillary development. Installation of a waste compactor unit and alterations to an existing road to enable access.

The application was before the Committee as it had been called in by 13 councillors following the decision of the Oxford City Planning Committee to refuse the application on 12 October 2021.

The Planning Officers presented the report and referenced the following typographical amendments:

• Recommendation 1 – there was a sentence missing; the correct recommendation should read:

1.    Resolve to 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:

• • the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in the report; and
• Para 2.3 – delete “Having voted to refuse the application,” so that; sentence reads “Members debated the reasons for refusal of the application”.
• Para 9.1 Human Rights Act – first sentence should read “in reaching a recommendation to approve this application…”

·         Para 10.1 Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1988 – final sentence should read “In reaching a recommendation to grant planning permission,”

The Planning Officer highlighted the main differences between the current application (21/01185/FUL) and the previous application (18/02587/FUL):

·         the reduction in the net gain of student beds from 615 to 573.

·         the reduction in the height of the flatted buildings on the western part of the site from 6/7 storeys to 5/6 storeys to reduce the bulk and mass of the development.

·         The movement of buildings away from the northern boundary of the site in the vicinity of the John Garne Way allotments and from the boundary with residential properties on Pullens Field

·         the reduction in the height of buildings 3 and 6 to two storeys nearest to the boundary with John Garne Way allotments to reduce overshadowing of the allotments.

·         changes to the footprint and position of the buildings to allow for the retention of a greater number of higher quality trees and to retain a greater number of trees, with the greatest life expectancy, especially those that are necessary around the boundary and for layering through the site in filtering views in the locality. 

·         a revised design approach to the building’s façade through a change in a materiality and greater articulation.

The Planning Officer advised the Committee that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Recommendation: That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 September 2021 are approved as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 October 2021 as a true and accurate record.

Meetings are scheduled for 6.00pm on

Meetings will be cancelled if not required, or may be rearranged.

The Committee noted the provisional dates of future meetings.