Site address: Summertown House, 369 Banbury Road, OX2 7RD

Proposal: Demolition of existing boundary railings and access gate, installation of 2 no. air source heat pumps to the North and South elevations. Alterations to fenestration, formation of new boundary railings and access gate. (additional information).

Reason at Committee: The application has been called in by Councillors Fouweather, Sandelson, Goddard, Smowton, Miles and Gant on the grounds of policies relating to design, noise, vibration and external features.  

RECOMMENDATION

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 this 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 this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary

Site address: Summertown House, 369 Banbury Road, OX2 7RD

Proposal: Demolition of existing boundary railings and access gate, installation of 2 no. air source heat pumps to the North and South elevations. Alterations to fenestration, formation of new boundary railings and access gate. (additional information).

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 (subject to the amended wording of condition 4 as agreed at Committee) of this 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 this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning and Regulatory

Councillor Fouweather left the meeting for this item.

Councillor Railton stood as Vice-Chair during this item.

The Committee considered an application for the demolition of existing boundary railings and access gate, installation of 2 no. air source heat pumps to the North and South elevations. Alterations to fenestration, formation of new boundary railings and access gate. (additional information).

The Planning Officer gave a presentation outlining the details of the location and the proposal. This included site photos and existing and proposed elevations and plans:

• Officers stated that the proposed development was acceptable in principle, design and its impact on designated heritage assets including archaeology, subject to recommended conditions. It was determined that the proposal would not cause any detrimental impacts to the amenity of any neighbouring dwellings, subject to the recommended conditions. The proposal was deemed acceptable in regard to flood risk, surface water, drainage, tree impacts, ecology, biodiversity, land contamination and highways. Overall, the proposal complied with relevant local and neighbourhood planning policies.
• The planning officer provided a verbal update noting that written materials circulated to members before the meeting included a comment about unclear recommended conditions, specifically condition 4 regarding noise levels from installed air source heat pumps. To clarify, officers recommended a clear and enforceable timeframe requiring a post installation noise assessment within three months of installation and implementation of any necessary mitigation within three months of approval. 
• Another comment in the written material referred to officers not applying paragraph 198 of the local policy framework. However, officers confirmed that relevant local plan policies addressed this. The proposal included suitable noise mitigation measures, which officers deemed acceptable.

Dr Victoria Whitford and Chris Botsman spoke against the application.

Tom Heel and Neil Eaton spoke in favour of the application.

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

• Questions were asked about the specifics of condition 4, particularly how and when background noise levels were measured and the steps for mitigating noise if necessary. The Senior Planning Officer explained that a post-installation noise assessment would be required within three months, with mitigation measures implemented if noise levels exceeded expectations. Background noise data would be gathered according to established standards, addressed by environmental health specialists to address any difference of opinion regarding noise levels.
• Members asked if condition 4 could include a  strict noise ceiling of 37 decibels for the pumps, but it was clarified that the current approach, recommended by environmental health officers, provided an established and enforceable method for managing noise rather than a fixed limit.
• Concerns regarding the differing opinions on noise impact between objectors and the applicants noise impact assessment were noted. However, the Senior Planning Officer was of the view that these had been considered by Environmental Health Officers who were of the view that the mitigation measures and assessments secured by condition would prevent harm. The condition required establishing the background noise level prior to installation, with no allowance for noise to exceed the background noise level once installation was in place, when measured from the nearest noise sensitive premises.

On being proposed, seconded, and put to the vote, the Committee agreed with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application for the reasons listed on the report and subject to the amended wording of condition 4.

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 (subject to the amended wording of condition 4 as agreed at Committee) of this 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 this report including such refinements, amendments, additions and/or deletions as the Head of Planning and Regulatory Services considers reasonably necessary