Site address:           Junction Of Headington Road and Morrell Avenue, Oxford

Proposal:                  Installation of stone memorial

Officer recommendation:

That the West Area Planning Committee approve the planning application (16/03166/FUL) for the installation of a memorial stone in this location, for the reasons set out in the report and subject to and including the conditions listed below:

Conditions:

1.    Development begun within time limit            

2.    Develop in accordance with approved plans          

3.    Materials as approved  

4.    Landscape plan - as approved

5.    Landscape - carry out by completion            

6.    Benches – further details required

7.    Tree Protection Plan – details required

The Committee considered a report detailing an application (16/03166/FUL) for planning permission for the installation of a stone memorial at the junction of Headington Road and Morrell Avenue, Oxford.

The Planning Officer presented the report. He referred the Committee to paragraph 7 of the officer’s report and advised them that the main determining issues for the application were:

·         Principle

·         Location, form & design and impact heritage assets

·         Trees

·         Highways

He said that planning permission was granted in 1981 for a statue of an Ox on this land which supported officers’ view that this would be a suitable location for a piece of art work or memorial.  The memorial at 1.8m high, 1m wide and 30cm deep was considered appropriately proportioned in size in relation to its setting within this open area. 

He referred the Committee to the additional comments that were received since the publication of the report. Firstly, an additional response was received in support of the application from Colin Caritt from the International Brigade Memorial Trust. Additional objections and comments were also received from Councillor Wade, the Friends of South Park, Oxford Preservation Trust and Councillor Hollingsworth. All of these responses were circulated to the Committee in advance of the meeting.

The Committee noted that the application had been called-in on the following grounds:

1.    it is a controversial application and should be considered in public

2.    size, design, materials and impact on views into and out of Oxford

The following individuals spoke against the application: Debbie Dance (Oxford Preservation Trust), Cllr Wade, Alexander Haydon, Alison Boulton, Barbara Foran, Cllr Azad, Richard Martin and Trevor Mostyn.

Colin Carritt (agent) and Cllr Hayes spoke in support of the application.

In reaching their decision, the Committee considered the officers’ report and presentation and the address of the public speakers. In debate the Committee noted the following points:

·         that the style, design and location of the proposed memorial had, as was often the case with public art installations, generated considerable public debate

·         the strength of opinion both for and against the proposed memorial in terms of its political and religious context while recognising that this was not a material planning consideration

·         notwithstanding the grant of planning permission the applicant would still require approval from the City Council, as landowner, to actually site the memorial

·         that the current application did not include the provision of benches

·         concerns that the subsequent introduction of benches might lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour

·         the City Council, as landowner, had permitted development rights to install benches at the site

On being put to the vote a majority of the Committee agreed with the officer recommendation.

The Committee resolved to approve planning permission (16/03166/FUL) for the proposed memorial stone at the junction of Headington Road and Morell Avenue, for the reason(s) set out in the report and subject to the (amended) conditions and informative listed below:

Conditions:

1.         Development begun within time limit                                                            

2.         Develop in accordance with approved plans                                               

3.         Materials as approved                 

4.         Landscape plan - as approved

5.         Landscape - carry out by completion                                                             

6.         Benches – further details required:  condition removed

7.         Tree Protection Plan – details required

Informative: that the applicant and landowner should seek to come to an agreement regarding a maintenance regime.