Site address:                   31 Charlbury Road Oxford OX2 6UU      

Proposal:                        Demolition of existing outbuilding. Erection of a single storey outbuilding for use as ancillary space.              

Recommendation:

The West Area Planning 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 12 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 (19/03178/FUL) for planning permission for the demolition of an existing outbuilding and the erection of a single storey outbuilding for use as ancillary space.

A previous application was determined by the West Area Planning Committee after the Head of Planning Services decided it should not be delegated following concerns raised by the applicant about the determination of the application.  This revised application was being determined by the committee for the same reasons.

The Planning Officer presented the report and apologised for the omission in paragraph 10.15 of the report: the empty brackets should contain 19/02089/FUL. He reminded the Committee that a similar application (19/02089/FUL) was refused by the West Area Planning Committee on 11 November 2019 and that an appeal had been made against the refusal of planning permission in addition to an application for an award for costs against the Council.

He explained that the new application differed from the previous application in that it had a reduced glazed gable as the cill of the glazing had been raised by 10cm. In recommending approval Planning Officers had been cognisant of the Committee’s decision on the previous application but on balance, considered that the raised cill of the window would lessen the impact on neighbours by limiting views out of the outbuilding and light spillage from the outbuilding.

Mr Daly, neighbour, spoke against the application. 

Mr Crean, applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered all the information put before it, including the planning officer’s recommendation for approval and was mindful of the permitted development rights pertaining to the application site.

A proposal to approve the application in accordance with the officer recommendation set out in the report was moved and seconded.  On being put to the vote the proposal was lost.

A proposal to refuse the application for the following reasons was moved and seconded:

1.         The glazing in the gable end facing 31a Charlbury Road would impact and create light pollution to the adjoining property contrary to policies CP10 and CP20 of the Oxford Local Plan

2.         The glazing in the gable end as a result of proximity to the boundary, and the adjoining property at 31a Charlbury Road would result in a loss of privacy contrary to Policy CP10 of the Oxford Local Plan and HP14 of the Sites and Housing Plan.

An amendment to that proposal to refuse the application solely on the grounds that the glazing in the gable end facing 31a Charlbury Road would impact and create light pollution to the adjoining property contrary to policies CP10 and CP20 of the Oxford Local Plan was moved and seconded.

On being put to the vote the amendment was carried on the Chair’s casting vote and became the substantive proposal.

On the substantive proposal being put to the vote the West Area Planning Committee resolved to refuse planning application (19/03178/FUL) on the following grounds with the precise wording of the reasons for refusal being delegated to the Head of Planning Services to determine:

1.         The glazing in the gable end facing 31a Charlbury Road would impact and create light pollution to the adjoining property contrary to policies CP10 and CP20 of the Oxford Local Plan.