Planning matters

The application for works at the Black Boy 15/03259/FUL has been withdrawn:

Change of use of first floor to provide 5 en-suite guest bedrooms and a studio flat. New external door to replace existing window and new external fire escape.

You can find the latest planning applications by clicking on the Planning apps tab at the top of our home page.

Altaf and I have initiated a call in for the two planning applications relating to Wingfield House at 2A Gathorne Road, these will be determined almost certainly by East Area Planning Committee

 

What next for the energy pipe?

The planning officer has now rendered the energy pipe application invalid.

Why is this?

It’s because the applicant hasn’t sent in enough information.

  • There still isn’t enough information in the Construction Traffic Management Plan
  • A few small changes will need to be made to the route following further investigations
  • There are questions about the ownership of the land – it may be that the County Council does not own all of the land in the affected roads

So what needs to be done?

The applicant needs to send in all the missing information and provide evidence that either the County Council owns all the land or that it has served notice on all owners of the land.(this might be done by publishing a notice in the local press, for example).

Where do we go from here?

We recognise that everyone is getting frustrated with the current situation, and the sooner it is resolved, the better.

Once the above information has been submitted and accepted, the eight week determination period will start again. Fresh notices will be put up, and a full three week consultation period will start.

The planning officer will take into account all comments submitted to date. However if you have already submitted comments, and want to make further comments after you have seen the fresh information, you may do so, and those comments will be taken into consideration too.

Once the neighbourhood consultation date has closed, the officer will compile his report ready to go to the next meeting of the planning committee.

Given that essential information has not yet been submitted, it is looking more likely that the application may miss the April meeting, but it’s difficult to say for sure until the rest of the information comes in from the applicant.

If you have any more questions on process please contact Ruth or Altaf.

Ruth and Roz are planning to speak at tomorrow’s County Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting at County Hall, and we shall attend the Trust’s stakeholder liaison committee meeting tomorrow evening.

Planning enforcement – how the process works

An enforcement notice has been issued and served on the owner of 14 Sandfield Road following refusal of their retrospective planning application. They have until 12/6/16 to lower the fence/gates to no more than 1.00m in height and until 12/7/16 to remove all excess materials from the site, although there is right of appeal.

There is an 8 week period in which appeals can be made against planning refusals. Officers will seek the immediate removal of 3 signs on hoardings at 42 London Road (corner plot next door to Dorset House) following the refusal of a retrospective planning application, but an appeal can still be submitted.  If the posters are not removed, the City Council may consider prosecution.

Access to Headington – public exhibition dates published

The County Council has sent us the following update:

Following further design work on proposals, in light of the consultation undertaken last year, we are now ready to formally consult on the Access to Headington project, and specifically those changes that require Traffic Regulation Orders.

The TRO consultation period will run from Thursday 25th February to Wednesday 23rd March.

During this time we will also hold a number of public exhibitions so that residents and other stakeholders can view proposals and speak to officers in person.

Before this we intend to hold a preview event, and invite all county and city Members to this. Venues/dates are as follows.

County and City Member preview

  • Wednesday 24thFebruary, 3pm-8pm – Wood Farm School, Titup Hall Drive

Public exhibitions

  • Saturday 27th February, 10:00 – 16:00 – St Anthony’s of Padua, 115 Headley Way
  • Wednesday 2nd March, 14:00 – 20:00 – Wood Farm School, Titup Hall Drive
  • Thursday 3rd March, 11:00 – 18:00 – Old Road Campus Research Building
  • Saturday 5th March, 10:00 – 16:00 – St. Andrew’s Primary School, London Road

In line with normal practice, and a few days before the first exhibition, those frontagers directly affected by proposals will be posted a letter outlining proposals and confirming details of how they can give their views including the above information on the exhibitions.

Comments deadline for pipe project extended

Comments can now be sent in until 25 February now, but is likely to be extended as an important document has not yet been received by the City Council from the contractors.

Two related applications can be found using our planning applications tab above. Associated ground clearance works appear to be happening in the Old Headington Conservation Area so we have been asked for this work to be investigated by the Planning Enforcement team.

There is one additional application for a property in Franklin Road.

Planning application for energy pipe

Ruth has initiated a call in of planning application 16/00101/FUL to East Area Committee so that the decision is made in public by councillors, and people have the chance to speak for or against the application. The call in was successful so it’s possible that the application will be heard by East Area Planning Committee on 2 March. The closing date for comments by neighbours is Friday 12 February.

A question and answer session will be held on the energy project as part of tomorrow’s Ward Focus meeting:

Tuesday 26th January

6:00 – 7:30 pm

All Saints Church House (Upstairs Room) New High Street, OX3 7AL

***If the venue is not big enough, we shall move the meeting to the church (opposite)