The Committee considered an application (23/00842/FUL) for the demolition of an existing garage; erection of a part single, part two storey side and rear extension with associated alterations to fenestration at 26 Alice Smith Square, Oxford.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:

·        The application site was on the southern side of Alice Smith Square, with neighbouring properties to most aspects of the site.  The property was a two-storey semi-detached house.

·        The application had been revised in order to overcome officer concerns relating to the design which had initially been proposed.  The revised application was now considered by officers to be acceptable in design terms and not to adversely impact neighbouring amenity, and was also considered to be compliant in all other regards.  It was therefore recommended for approval, subject to the required planning conditions set out in the report. 

Moses Ekole (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

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

·        A landscaping condition was proposed, setting out the landscaping requirements should the scheme be approved.  Officers undertook to try to ensure that the existing hedge was retained as part of this condition.  However, it was noted that a requirement to retain the hedge could not be enforced following a period of five years after first occupation of the development.

·        Whilst there had been very few objections to the proposal, loss of light to neighbouring properties and overlooking / loss of privacy from the additional fenestration had been cited as a concern.  Officers had considered this carefully when assessing the proposal, but were of the view that the revised proposal would not result in material amenity harm to any neighbouring properties in the proximity of the site.

·        A concern had also been raised by an objector that the proposal would cause harm to the ‘open character’ of the corner plot.  The Planning Officer confirmed that this had been a consideration when assessing the design proposal.  Typically, corner plots were more sensitive when looking at the scale of development which they could accommodate.  However, a key consideration in this instance was the degree of separation which would be retained between the extension area and the side boundary of the site.  Officers had therefore concluded that this was not a concern sufficient to generate grounds to recommend refusal. 

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 the report.

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.

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

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