Site address:                   Castle Hill House, 9 New Road, Oxford, OX1 1LT

Proposal:                         Redevelopment of the former Conservative Club building at Castle Hill House comprising demolition of existing building and erection of a new building providing 54 student study rooms, along with internal and external amenity space, landscaping improvements including the reconfiguration of the Fellows' Car Park. (Amended plans)

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.     Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to approve the application for the reasons given in the report. Approval would be subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report and subject to the approval of a final drainage strategy from the Local Lead Flood Authority. 

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.

·       Agree the provision of a final drainage strategy in consultation with relevant consultees.

The Committee considered an application (19/02306/FUL) for planning permission for the redevelopment of the former Conservative Club building at Castle Hill House comprising demolition of existing building and erection of a new building providing 54 student study rooms, along with internal and external amenity space, landscaping improvements including the reconfiguration of the Fellows' Car Park. (Amended plans)

The Planning Officer and Principal Heritage Officer gave a combined presentation for the FUL and LBC applications which included the following verbal updates:

• The County Council had given an interim holding approval of the submitted Outline Design Surface Water Management Strategy subject to additional drainage calculations being provided (the outline design is acceptable). Accordingly planning officers recommend that approval should be subject to two additional planning conditions:

o   A surface water management strategy

o   A SUD’s design plan

• A correction to the 19/02307/LBC report – page 138 of the agenda (8.1) 8^th line up from the bottom of the page to read “less than substantial” not as printed “substantial”

Debbie Dance, Oxford Preservation Trust, spoke against the application. 

Judith Buchanan, Master of St Peters College, Richard Rose-Casemore (architect) and Simon Sharp (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee discussion included, but was not limited to, the following points:

·         the glazed viewing window on Bulwarks Lane had been chosen in preference to other design options (e.g. railings) for security reasons

·         the retention of the wall on the New Road frontage was significant as it was part of the Canal Wharf and the setting of Canal House; the walls on both sides of the street were important elements in the current street scene; this was acceptable in design terms as the street scene would benefit from animation at the upper levels from the sympathetic window treatment

·         The new access on Bulwark Lane would mean that both sites under use by St Peters College would be interlinked

·         There would be no loss of a community facility as the former Conservative Club had not been used since 2017 and other facilities existed in the immediate area serving a similar purpose

In response to concerns raised about the height of the building on New Road the Principal Heritage Officer explained that this was intended to be a bold design statement in keeping with the wider environment and referred the Committee to the details set out in paragraph 7.4 of the LBC report.

The Committee was mindful of the comments expressed about the impact on the view from Castle Mound but was satisfied that this was acceptable as overall the existing view was of an urban city scape.

The Committee concluded that overall the proposals before them were a significant improvement on the existing street scene, provided environmental benefits, made good use of the site and responded to the housing through the provision of student accommodation.

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application, with the addition of two further planning conditions for a surface water management strategy and a SUD’s design plan.

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1. Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to approve the application for the reasons given in the report. Approval would be subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 of the report and the additional two planning conditions relating to drainage and subject to the approval of a final drainage strategy from the Local Lead Flood Authority. 

2.    Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

·         finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report and as agreed by the Committee including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

·         agree the provision of a final drainage strategy in consultation with relevant consultees.