Site Address:            Oriel College, Oriel Square – see Appendix 1 for site plan

Proposal:                   Erection of new pavilion, creation of a new basement including new kitchen facilities and food lift; removal of existing kitchen and kitchen staircase, new serveries and additional dining and function spaces within Brewhouse Yard, Oriel College, with associated internal alterations. (Additional information).

Reason at Committee: The application is for non-residential development with new floor space of more than 500 square metres.

Recommendation:

West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

a)    Approve the application for the reasons given in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of this report and grant planning permission; and

b)   Agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to:

1.    finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary; and

2.    issue the planning permission.

The Committee considered two applications (17/03258/FUL) and (17/03259/LBC) for planning permission and listed building consent for the erection of a new pavilion, creation of a new basement including new kitchen facilities and food lift; removal of existing kitchen and kitchen staircase, new serveries and additional dining and function spaces within Brewhouse Yard, Oriel College and with associated internal alterations.

The Planning Officer and the Senior Conservation Officer presented the two reports and answered questions relating to the heritage aspects of the applications.

There were no speakers against the applications.

The following spoke in support of the applications and were present to answer questions from the Committee:

·       Simon Sharp and Neil Warner (JPPC)

·       Anna Joynt (Allies and Morrison Architects)

·       Wilf Stephenson and Richard Noonan (Oriel College)

In discussion the Committee noted the following points:

·       That very little of the original fabric of the 17^th century staircase remained and any surviving, significant historic fabric was proposed to be re-used in appropriate locations elsewhere in the scheme

·       That there were very few points in the adjacent streets where presently the views of Hall were so evident that the changes resulting from the appearance of the upper part of the new building in these views would be harmful

·       That a significant public benefit of the proposed scheme would be the provision of independent level access within the College

·       That Historic England had no objections to the applications on heritage grounds and accepted that the harm entailed by the proposals is justified as is required by paragraphs 132 and 134 of the NPPF

·       That the design of the pavilion roof, in particular its pitch and height,  was a sensitive treatment which limited its visual and physical intrusion into the adjacent street scene in Magpie Lane and would provide an improved setting for views of the medieval windows of Hall

In reaching its decisions, the Committee considered all the information put before it and acknowledged the balancing exercise between the less-than-substantial harm to designated heritage assets and the public benefits of the development, as required by the National Planning Policy Framework. The Committee agreed with the officers’ conclusion that the public benefits (as detailed in the reports) would outweigh the justified and mitigated harm.

The Committee considered that the proposal would add a high-quality, elegant piece of contemporary architecture to the built heritage of Oxford and would comply with the relevant policies of the local plan and with the NPPF.

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

 The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

(a)    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; and

(b)    delegate authority to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services to:

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

2.     issue the planning permission.