Agenda item

Agenda item

22/02661/FUL: 472-474 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7RG

Site Address:

472-474 Banbury Road, Oxford

Proposal:

Demolition of 2no. semi-detached dwellings and erection of 4 storey school boarding house (use class C2) with associated cycle and refuse storage. Erection of 2no. 3 bed semi-detached dwellings (use class C3) with associated refuse and cycle storage. Closure of existing vehicular access to North Way (A40) and creation of new pedestrian access to Banbury Road (amended plans and documents)

Reason at Committee:

The proposal is a major development

Recommendation:

The Oxford City 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 subject to:

·       the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in this report; and

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

·       add such conditions as awaited from the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA); and 

·       finalise the recommended conditions as set out in this report, and those received from the LLFA, including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary and

·       finalise the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in this report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in this report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

·       complete the section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered an application (22/02661/FUL) for demolition of 2 no. semi-detached dwellings and erection of a 4 storey school boarding house (Use Class C2) with associated cycle and refuse storage; erection of 2 no. 3 bed semi-detached dwellings (Use Class C3) with associated refuse and cycle storage; closure of existing vehicular access to North Way (A40) and creation of new pedestrian access to Banbury Road at 472-474 Banbury Road, Oxford.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:

·           Since the publication of the committee report, the Lead Local Flood Authority had formally removed its objection to the application and had recommended two conditions requiring compliance with the approved drainage strategy, and recording of the installed SuDS and site wide drainage scheme.

 

·           It was considered that the proposal had successfully avoided the over-development, overlooking and overshadowing issues of the scheme previously proposed in 2021.  It now stepped back from Banbury Road, and its footprint was set further away from the mature horse chestnut tree.  During consideration of the application amendments had been made to soften and pull back the building line fronting the roundabout and further articulate the stair tower, which had resulted in a reduction of four bedrooms.  Public and private spaces were clearly separated.

 

·           The residential dwellings would be car free, with space within the site enabling drop-off and pick-up in relation to the boarding house.  To enforce the car-free nature of the site, collapsible bollards would be installed at the entrance.  Sufficient cycle parking would be provided both externally and within the basement.

 

·           The proposal gradually transitioned in height from the neighbouring semi-detached dwellings on Banbury Road.  The proposed dwellings bridged the height difference between the existing Banbury Road dwellings and the boarding house, and featured a high quality materials palette representing a modern interpretation of the existing dwellings along Banbury Road.

 

·           Officers considered that the proposed development to provide a boarding house and two dwelling houses would respond appropriately to the site context and comply with the Oxford Local Plan 2036.  The application was therefore recommended for approval, subject to the conditions set out within the report and a legal agreement between the applicant and the County Council as the highways authority.

 

The Committee asked questions about the detail of the application, which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included, but were not limited to:

·            The amenity space for the boarding house would be within the courtyard to the front; students would also be able to use the facilities at nearby Cutteslowe Park.  There was no Local Plan policy to require outdoor amenity space, and the proposal was therefore policy compliant in this respect.

 

·            A Committee Member commented that there was scope for illegal parking just outside the application site.  Officers responded that this would be difficult to control using planning mechanisms, if highways land. Occupants would be excluded by the Highways Authority from eligibility for resident’s parking permits, and if the land was owned by the applicant then there may be potential for a Section 106 obligation to require control.

 

·            In relation to the proposed pedestrian safety enhancement measures along Banbury Road to be provided through the legal agreement, the Planning Officer reported that the Highways Officer had proposed the provision of Copenhagen Crossings across Carlton Road.

 

·            In response to a question as to how pupils would travel between the boarding house and the school’s other sites, the Planning Officer responded that it was intended that they would walk or cycle.  A student management plan, detailing how drop-offs and pick-ups would be managed had been conditioned, and the applicant had advised that there was no intention for multiple bus journeys to and from the site.

 

·            Several Committee Members drew attention to transport issues: the proximity of the proposed development to the busy Banbury Road and Cutteslowe Roundabout, and the need for pupils to use these routes when travelling between school sites and accessing Cutteslowe Park.  Financial contributions would be made towards upgrading pedestrian infrastructure and a student management plan would be conditioned to mitigate any potential impact.  Several Committee Members also commented on the lack of on-site amenity space given the age range of the pupils, notwithstanding that the proposal was policy compliant in this respect.

 

On being proposed, seconded and put to the vote the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application for the reasons set out in the report and subject to the required planning conditions set out in section 12 and the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The Oxford City Planning Committee resolved 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 subject to:

·         the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers to secure the planning obligations set out in the recommended heads of terms which are set out in this report; and

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

·         add the conditions requested by the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA); and 

·         finalise the recommended conditions as set out in the report, and those received from the LLFA, including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

·         finalise the recommended legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other enabling powers as set out in this report, including refining, adding to, amending and/or deleting the obligations detailed in the heads of terms set out in this report (including to dovetail with and where appropriate, reinforce the final conditions and informatives to be attached to the planning permission) as the Head of Planning Services considers reasonably necessary; and

·         complete the section 106 legal agreement referred to above and issue the planning permission.

Supporting documents: