Site address:                   472-474 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7RG

Proposal:                          Outline application with all matters reserved apart from access for the demolition of two existing dwellings and erection of one four storey building and one two storey building for school boarding accommodation (use class C2) and associated parking, cycle and bin storage and closure of existing access onto A40.

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning Committee is recommended to:

1.     refuse the application for the reasons considered fully in the report; and

2.     agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

3.     finalise the recommended reasons for refusing the application as set out in this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

The reasons for refusal are as follows:

1.     The proposed development would result in a loss of two residential dwelling houses (use class C3) in conflict with adopted Policy HP1 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013 and emerging Policy H5 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

2.     The indicative floorspace of each of the warden's flats, intended as permanant residence's, measures approximately 24sq. m. which falls below the minimum space standard for either a single or family dwelling

1.     and therefore the proposal conflicts with Policy HP12 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

2.     The proposed warden’s flats would cause an unacceptable loss of privacy to the occupants of no. 470 Banbury Road due to their proximity to the boundary and location of the first floor window overlooking the rear garden of no. 470. The proposed development would therefore conflict with Policies CP1 and CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

3.     The proposed undercroft vehicular parking would create hiding places and make vehicles, property and people vulnerable in term of safety as they are unsecured and therefore the proposed location and design of the proposed parking does not comply with policies CS18 and CS19 of the Core Strategy.

4.     Insufficient information has been submitted, in particular the application is deficient in its failure to provide a Surface Water Management Strategy to enable the Local Planning Authority to fully assess the drainage proposals for this major development. The application therefore does not therefore conform to the requirements of the 'Oxfordshire County Council Local Standards and Guidance for Surface Water Drainage on Major Development in Oxfordshire 2018' and emerging Policy RE4 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

5.     Insufficient information has been submitted, in particular the application is deficient in its failure to provide an Air Quality Assessment to enable the Local Planning Authority to fully assess the potential air quality impacts that may occur from the development's operational and construction phases. The application does not therefore comply with adopted Policy CP23 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, Policy ENS4 of the Summertown and St Margaret's Neighbourhood Plan and emerging Policy RE6 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

6.     Insufficient information has been submitted, in particular the application is deficient in its failure to provide an Energy Statement to enable the Local Planning Authority to fully assess whether sustainable design and construction principles have been incorporated into the development. The application therefore does not conform to the requirements of emerging Policy RE1 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036 and Policy ENC2 of the Summertown and St Margaret's Neighbourhood Plan.

The Committee considered an application (19/02366/OUT) for planning permission for an outline application with all matters reserved apart from access for the demolition of two existing dwellings and erection of one four storey building and one two storey building for school boarding accommodation (use class C2) and associated parking, cycle and bin storage and closure of existing access onto A40.

The Planning Officer presented the report and referred the Committee to the fact that the applicant had submitted amended plans and made representations for the Committee to defer determination of the application. He advised the Committee that the request for deferral and the amended plans had not been accepted by planning officers. He confirmed that planning officers did not support a decision to defer the application as the amended plans did not address the issues of concern or overcome the reasons for refusal.

Julian Philcox, accompanied by Oliver McGovern, spoke in favour of the application.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it, noting that the proposed development would result in a loss of two residential dwelling houses (use class C3) which was in conflict with adopted Policy HP1 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013 and emerging Policy H5 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

After debate and on being proposed, seconded and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application.

The West Area Planning Committee resolved to:

1.       refuse the application for the reasons considered fully in the report and listed below; and

2.       agree to delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services to:

finalise the recommended reasons for refusing the application as set out in the report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary.

3.       The reasons for refusal were as follows:

1.     The proposed development would result in a loss of two residential dwelling houses (use class C3) in conflict with adopted Policy HP1 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013 and emerging Policy H5 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

2.     The indicative floorspace of each of the warden's flats, intended as permanent residences, measures approximately 24sq. m. which falls below the minimum space standard for either a single or family dwelling and therefore the proposal conflicts with Policy HP12 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

3.     The proposed warden’s flats would cause an unacceptable loss of privacy to the occupants of no. 470 Banbury Road due to their proximity to the boundary and location of the first floor window overlooking the rear garden of no. 470. The proposed development would therefore conflict with Policies CP1 and CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016 and Policy HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan 2013.

4.     The proposed undercroft vehicular parking would create hiding places and make vehicles, property and people vulnerable in term of safety as they are unsecured and therefore the proposed location and design of the proposed parking does not comply with policies CS18 and CS19 of the Core Strategy.

5.     Insufficient information has been submitted, in particular the application is deficient in its failure to provide a Surface Water Management Strategy to enable the Local Planning Authority to fully assess the drainage proposals for this major development. The application therefore does not therefore conform to the requirements of the 'Oxfordshire County Council Local Standards and Guidance for Surface Water Drainage on Major Development in Oxfordshire 2018' and emerging Policy RE4 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

6.     Insufficient information has been submitted, in particular the application is deficient in its failure to provide an Air Quality Assessment to enable the Local Planning Authority to fully assess the potential air quality impacts that may occur from the development's operational and construction phases. The application does not therefore comply with adopted Policy CP23 of the Oxford Local Plan 2001-2016, Policy ENS4 of the Summertown and St Margaret's Neighbourhood Plan and emerging Policy RE6 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036.

7.     Insufficient information has been submitted, in particular the application is deficient in its failure to provide an Energy Statement to enable the Local Planning Authority to fully assess whether sustainable design and construction principles have been incorporated into the development. The application therefore does not conform to the requirements of emerging Policy RE1 of the Oxford Local Plan 2036 and Policy ENC2 of the Summertown and St Margaret's Neighbourhood Plan.