Agenda and minutes

Venue: First Floor Meeting Space, 135 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, OX14 4SB

Contact: Paul Bateman 

Items
No. Item

39.

Apologies for absence

To record apologies for absence and the attendance of substitute members. 

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Jenny Hannaby, who was substituted by Councillor Paul Barrow. Councillor Janet Shelley sent her apologies, due to illness.

40.

Chair's announcements

To receive any announcements from the chair, and general housekeeping matters.

Minutes:

None.

41.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 275 KB

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Planning Committee minutes of the meeting held on 17 August 2022.

Minutes:

The minutes will be reviewed at the next meeting.

42.

Declarations of interest

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.

Minutes:

Councillor Val Shaw declared that she would not debate or vote on items seven, eight and ten, due to speaking as Ward member for those items.

43.

Urgent business

To receive notification of any matters which the chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent. 

Minutes:

None.

44.

Public participation

To receive any statements from members of the public that have registered to speak on planning applications which are being presented to this committee meeting. 

Minutes:

The committee had been sent a full list of public speakers ahead of the meeting, along with submitted written statements that had been sent to Planning Enquiries and Democratic Services departments. Speakers would be called to speak under the relevant application.

45.

P21/V1376/FUL Foxcombe Hall, Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5HR pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Change of use from a non-residential educational institution (use class F1(a)) to a residential university campus (use class C2), the demolition of the Old Laboratory building and ancillary buildings. Internal and external alterations to listed building. Redevelopment and extension to include 60 student bedrooms, dining hall, campus cafe/shop, gym, extension to lecture theatre, teaching space and study space and associated external works. (as amended plans received 24 November 2021 and amplified by plans and information received 14 March 2022)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Chair had explained that both items seven and eight (regarding Foxcombe Hall) were to be debated as one item, with a separate vote to be carried out for each application. Public speakers were given six minutes per group to speak to both applications.

 

Committee members attended a site visit with officers on 6 September 2022. Also present at the planning committee meeting was Senior Transport Planner from Oxfordshire County Council, the council’s Economic Development Manager and Senior Conservation and Design Officer to help answer questions from their areas of expertise.

 

The applications were for change of use from a non-residential educational institution (use class F1(a)) to a residential university campus (use class C2), the demolition of the Old Laboratory building and ancillary buildings. Internal and external alterations to listed building. Redevelopment and extension to include 60 student bedrooms, dining hall, campus cafe/shop, gym, extension to lecture theatre, teaching space and study space and associated external works (as amended plans received 24 November 2021 and amplified by plans and information received 14 March 2022).

 

Item eight was relating to listed building consent that needed to be sought for some works proposed in the application under item seven.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting.

 

The planning officer presented the report to the committee for an application for a residential university campus, the land having been purchased by Peking University, HSBC Business School. Full details of the officer’s recommendations were in the report. The building proposed for demolition and replacement (referred to as the Old Dairy) is explicitly excluded from the listing but is considered by officers to be a non-designated heritage asset. The Conservation officer does not consider that the existing building fabric is of such high historic or architectural interest that it should be retained and converted instead of the proposal to demolish and replace. Tree planting and other measures are provided for in the conditions of the recommendation. Lighting scheme (including window design) will be provided by condition, designed to reduce light spill.

Listed building consent was required for the conversion of offices into bedrooms and a gym and the removal of an external fire escape at the West Wing, and creation of a warden’s flat in level two of the tower. There were four letters of support submitted to the full application, with reasons including community benefit and sustainability. There were 303 letters of objection submitted to the full application. Main concerns were around the impact on the green belt, light and noise pollution and the very special circumstances criteria.

 

The key planning issues of the case are consideration of green belt policy and heritage matters. Officers considered it was inappropriate development in the green belt, because it will have a greater impact on the openness in terms of both a visual and spatial aspect and in terms of the degree of activity the site will generate. Very special  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

46.

P21/V1379/LB Foxcombe Hall, Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5HR pdf icon PDF 412 KB

Listed building consent for a change of use from a non-residential educational institution (use class F1(a)) to a residential university campus (use class C2), the demolition of the Old Laboratory building and ancillary buildings. Internal and external alterations to listed building. Redevelopment and extension to include 60 student bedrooms, dining hall, campus cafe/shop, gym, extension to lecture theatre, teaching space and study space and associated external works. (as amended plans received 24 November 2021).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Committee considered the application for change of use from a non-residential educational institution (use class F1(a)) to a residential university campus (use

class C2), the demolition of the Old Laboratory building and ancillary buildings. Internal and external alterations to listed building. Redevelopment and extension to include 60 student bedrooms, dining hall, campus cafe/shop, gym, extension to lecture theatre, teaching space and study space and associated external works. (as amended plans received 24 November 2021).

 

Committee listened to the evidence then debated this item with item seven, and a motion was moved and seconded and was approved on being put to the vote.

 

Resolved:

Planning Committee support the officer recommendation to grant Listed Building Consent.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that Listed Building Consent is granted subject to the

following conditions:

1. Time limit for commencement

2. Approved plans

3. Photographic schedule of material

47.

P22/V1088/FUL Wantage Motorist Centre, 1 Hans Avenue, Wantage, OX12 7DB pdf icon PDF 861 KB

Application for planning permission for change of use from shop (Class E) to hot food takeaway (sui generis) and installation of extract and ventilation equipment.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

During this agenda item, the meeting length had reached almost two and a half hours.  In accordance with the council’s Constitution, the committee agreed to extend the meeting in order to finish this item.

 

Committee considered an application for planning permission for change of use from shop (Class E) to hot food takeaway (sui generis) and installation of extract and ventilation equipment.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting.

 

The planning officer introduced the report and highlighted that in officer opinion, the proposed development had no technical objections and was therefore recommended for approval. 

 

Mr. Philip Hall, an objector, addressed committee on behalf of residents.

 

Councillor Erik Johnson, of Wantage Town Council, also addressed committee as an objector.

 

Councillor Andrew Crawford, ward member, also spoke in objection to the application.

 

Main objections were detailed in written statements that were circulated to committee ahead of the meeting. These statements were sent from members of the public to Planning Enquiries and Democratic Services department.

 

In summary, residents were concerned about potential anti-social behaviour in a quiet cul-de-sac area where mainly elderly people resided. It was felt that a late-night takeaway (notwithstanding that closing time would be earlier on Sundays to Thursdays, at 22:30) was not appropriate in this area, particularly with no CCTV for security. Residents were concerned about attracting late night anti-social behaviour, noise, mess and crime. Mention was made to rubbish and smells from extractors being a nuisance, as well as concerns over increased traffic, parking and footfall.

 

The applicant was represented by Mr John Ghaw, the agent in the application. He spoke to committee in support of the application.

 

Committee asked questions of speakers. Committee asked about the area itself, the impact on neighbouring properties, and about the location of other takeaways and whether such an application, in a residential area with neighbouring homes, was commonplace in Wantage.

 

Committee debated this item, considering the evidence provided. The committee considered that the application was unusual in that most takeaways are located in particular streets in the town centre of Wantage, rather than in arbitrary residential locations.

 

Committee unanimously agreed that the location was not suitable for this kind of application. Therefore, they did not agree with the officer recommendation.

 

A motion was moved, seconded, and supported when put to the vote:

 

Resolved:

Committee refused planning permission for application P22/V1088/FUL on the grounds of its impact being harmful to neighbours’ amenity and to the character of the area.

 

48.

P22/V1091/FUL 2 Poplar Corner, Wootton Village, Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5JL pdf icon PDF 383 KB

Retrospective approval for a five-bedroom dwelling with external amendments to windows, a new gable.

(Amended plans received 07 July 2022 to remove proposed car port)

(Amended plans rec 23 August 2022 to resolve discrepancies with the proposal as built)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In accordance with the council’s Constitution, the committee agreed to defer this last item to a future meeting.

 

Resolved:

Application P22/V1091/FUL to be deferred to the next available planning committee meeting.

 

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