The Committee considered an application (23/01482/FUL) for change of use of the first to fourth floors and part basement and ground floor to office use (Class E); erection of a roof extension to the front elevation above fourth floor and a two storey roof extension to rear elevation above third floor; internal and external alterations to allow level access and provide lift services to all floors; provision of bin and cycle storage and alterations to fenestration at 13-15 Oxenford House, Magdalen Street, Oxford.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation and highlighted the following:

·         The advice from the Highways Authority was that the travel monitoring fee was no longer necessary.  The Highways Authority was also satisfied that the four cycle stands on highways land could be secured by a condition.  Therefore, there was no requirement for a s106 obligation.

·         The assessment of the proposed scheme had considered the loss of the existing uses as set out in the report.  The principle of the development was considered acceptable as it was an existing city centre site, making best and most efficient use of the land to provide office use in a sustainable location.

·         The proposal was speculative; however, it was acknowledged that the development would provide operational employment of in the region of 184 full-time employment positions based on the floor space and one staff member per 10-13 sqm and the equivalent of 15 full-time employment positions during the construction phase.

·         The scheme was considered to cause less than substantial harm to the conservation area at the lower level.  However, the assessment of public benefits as required by the NPPF considered that the benefits of the scheme included increased energy efficiency; the contribution to the demand for sustainably located office space; and improvements to the public realm in Friar’s Entry which would collectively outweigh the identified low level of less than substantial harm which would be caused to the conservation area.  The development would preserve the significance of the nearby listed buildings and the setting in which the site was located and cause no harm.

·         The building was proposed as a managed facility, with permanent on-site staff.  The refuse and recycling strategy was for building management operatives to move the bins from the ground floor level to the designated collection point. 

·         Subject to the relevant conditions, the proposed development would meet policy requirements in relation to all other issues assessed as part of the application including biodiversity, land quality, air quality, archaeology and drainage.  Officers were therefore recommending approval of the application as set out in the report, subject to conditions.

Arron Twamley (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  Committee members again considered that the servicing arrangements required a specific condition.

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, subject to the conditions set out in the report and the addition of a servicing condition.

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.             delegate authority to the Head of Planning and Regulatory 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 and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary.