Cllrs Fry, Munkonge, Linda Smith and Roz Smith all confirmed that they had previously considered this application either at Planning Review Committee or East Area Planning Committee. They each confirmed that they retained an open mind and would take all the information into account when reaching their decision on the issue concerning application 20/00856/FUL which was before the committee.

Cllr Munkonge was elected Chair for the Council year 2021-22.

Cllr Thomas was elected Vice-Chair for the Council year 2021-22.

Site address:               295-301 London Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9EH

Proposal:                    Demolition of existing two storey building. Erection of a part two, part three storey building to create 5 x 2 bed and 2 x 1 bed flats. Provision of bin and cycle storage along with private amenity space. Re-provision of the existing Sikh Gurdwara including additional floor space at first floor level. (Amended plans)               

Reason at Committee:     The applicant is no longer in a position to enter into a Section 106 agreement to secure re-provision of the Gurdwara and retention of the building for these purposes. It is proposed that the matters instead be secured by planning condition which differs from the previous committee resolution to secure these matters through a Section 106 agreement.

Recommendation:

The Planning Review 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 10 of the report and grant planning permission.

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 (20/00856/FUL) for planning permission for the demolition of the existing two storey building; erection of a part two, part three storey building to create 5 x 2 bed and 2 x 1 bed flats; provision of bin and cycle storage along with private amenity space; re-provision of the existing Sikh Gurdwara including additional floor space at first floor level. (Amended plans) at 295-301 London Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9EH.

This was brought back to the Committee for determination because the applicant is no longer in a position to enter into a Section 106 agreement to secure the re-provision of the Gurdwara and retention of the building for these purposes. It is proposed that the matters, which would otherwise have been secured through the Section 106 agreement would instead be secured by planning condition, which differed from the previous committee resolution to secure these matters through a Section 106 agreement.

The Planning Officer presented the report. He reported the receipt of a letter from the Secretary of the Oxford Gurdwara expressing concern about the lack of provision for a temporary Gurdwara during the construction of the new Gurdwara, concerns regarding the timing of the delivery of the replacement Gurdwara in relation to the build programme and the assertion that the matters originally sought as part of the Section 106 should continue to be sought under this mechanism.

Henry Venners, the agent representing the applicant, spoke in support of the application. Akash Turna, the applicant, answered questions from the Committee and reassured councillors that the applicant would assist the Gurdwara committee in securing a suitable temporary location.

Members of the Committee asked questions of the officers about the details of the application. The Planning Officer and legal adviser outlined the protections offered by, and limitations of, both a section 106 agreement and the proposed conditions.

In reaching its decision on the sole matter of deviating from the committee’s previous resolution to grant planning permission subject to the prior completion of a section 106 agreement by removing the requirement for a Section 106 agreement and instead including further conditions having the same effect, 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 as set out in the report.

The Oxford City Planning Committee resolved to:

1.         approve application 20/00856/FUL for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required 22 planning conditions and 3 informatives set out in section 10 of the report 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: That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2020 are approved as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2020 as a true and accurate record.

Meetings are scheduled for 6.00pm on

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

Noted.