Easy Hotel in Summertown

[Jane Roberts]

Begin forwarded message:
From: Elizabeth Wade <liz.w...@gmail.com>

Dear All

I have been asked to circulate this and am happy to do so, because whatever is built on the Majestic Wine site will have a major effect - positive, negative or nondescript - on the character and appearance of Summertown.
Everyone needs to have an opportunity to consider whether this proposed Easyhotel development is appropriate. The deadline for comments is Saturday 9 December although you will see from the information below that this limit is being challenged by Summertown Councillor Andrew Gant.

Please make your view known by putting your comments on the Council website which is quite user-friendly.

Best wishes

Liz

Liz Wade

Lib Dem City Councillor for St Margaret's Ward

28 Polstead Road, Oxford OX2 6TN

07984 602723

From: Summertown info <nich...@summertown.info>

View this email in your browser Easy Hotel has submitted a planning application for the Majestic/Wallers site (276-280 Banbury Road). It was lodged with the Council on 24 October. No  email notifications were sent to those who had registered an interest, and the statutory notices have not be put up outside the site. Local Councillor Andrew Gant is investigating this. These 'apparent' flaws in the notification process should mean that the consultation period re-starts after the statutory notices have been put up, but the consultation period given on the Planning site is 14 November to 9 December. As many people as possible should comment on the application so that the views of local residents and businesses are taken into account by the planning officer and members of the planning committee. You should assume that you have to make your comments by 9 December.   The application code is 17/02832/FUL (go to http://public.oxford.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter that code in Search). The plans show an anodyne building, which looks like an office block, with no objectionable or redeeming features. The description reads: "Demolition and redevelopment of existing retail office, and residential premises, to provide a mixed-use scheme comprising 4 x units (use classes of either A1,A2,A3 or A4) at ground floor with a 180 bed hotel over three floors above". The plan of the west elevation is the view from Sainsbury's. The application is more likely than not to be agreed in principle because it fits in with the requirement in the Local Plan for more hotel rooms. The fact that these rooms aren't needed in north Oxford isn't a planning concern.   Possible grounds for objecting: - The loss of the residential units (two floors of flats above Wallers) is obviously a material concern and, I understand, is contrary to planning policy especially if these flats are some form of social housing; - 20 bedrooms at the rear of the building overlook Summer Fields School. This has serious implications for safeguarding, especially as the school is building a pre-school unit on that side of their site, and would also be considered as overlooking and loss of privacy; - The building in not in keeping with the local townscape and therefore affects our visual amenity (maybe...) but it could also be seen as overbearing in the context of the surrounding buildings; - Traffic. There will be additional traffic on the one-way system round Summerfield and Mayfield Roads from deliveries and contractors. Mayfield Road also goes past the entrances to the School. This would affect access and highways safety. The hotel has declared itself to be 'car free'. This is supposed to mean that nobody who stays in the hotel will travel by car. This is plainly absurd and means in practice that everyone who comes by car will be looking for parking places in all the residential streets of Summertown. As there are so few parking spaces this will have a significant effect on the amenity of local residents and access and highways safety. A similar proposal was accepted for a smaller scheme in Paradise Street but that is in the centre of town where adequate parking is provided elsewhere. So, - Parking. This application clearly does not provide for adequate parking. The significant impact on local shops who rely on the available parking for use by their customers is apparently not a planning concern. If you have got experience of dealing with this kind of application it would be great to be able to share your views with everyone else. Andrew Gant is considering holding a public meeting to make sure your views are represented in the process. Please email him on cllr...@oxford.gov.uk if you would be interested in attending the meeting. I will let you know of any other developments over the coming weeks.  Please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested. Best wishes,  Nicholas