A ROW over an “iceberg home” plan for a swimming pool under a North Oxford home has been reignited after revised plans were submitted.

Craig Burkinshaw has applied to build a basement with a swimming pool underneath his Farndon Road property, on the corner of Warnborough Road.

A plan, submitted in February, was refused by Oxford City Council and on appeal over the impact of an extension on the area and its vegetation.

But Mr Burkinshaw, managing director of Witney’s Audley Travel, has now put in a new scheme with changes to the side extension above the proposed pool.

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A similar scheme was approved in January 2013, his agent said.

The basement would be used for a swimming pool, gym, sauna room and two guest bedroom suites.

And agent for Mr Burkinshaw said the Planning Inspectorate – which decides on appeals – has suggested such a scheme could be approved.

But Oxford author Mark Haddon – who lives in a neighbouring home – has again objected and labelled it “over -development.”

Mr Haddon, right, who wrote the acclaimed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time novel, now a major West End play, said: “This is not a variation of previously approved plans.

“This is over-development. It is wholly out of keeping with the character of the North Oxford Conservation Area.”

The term “iceberg homes” was coined to describe large subterranean extensions to properties in London.

The author added: “Allowing it to go ahead would set a worrying precedent for ‘iceberg’ extensions.

“This will have an adverse impact on the area as a whole.”

The original scheme was refused by Oxford City Council’s west area planning committee on March 17.

A planning inspector backed the original January 2013 plan as a ‘traditional’ side extension with less extensive basement works, a different storage arrangement and varied landscape proposals”.

He said: “It is reasonable for (Mr Burkinsaw) to view this as a ‘fallback’.” But he then refused the 2014 scheme as “a step too far” beyond the 2013 planning permission.

Mr Burkinshaw’s agent Adrian Gould told the council: “In light of the inspector’s comments, my clients accept that any further proposal must align closely with the approved scheme.

“As can be seen, the amended plans are by no reasonable measure fundamentally different to the approved scheme.”

He added that changes made for the new scheme included “subtle modifications” to the side extension and a reduction of the basement floorspace.

The changed extension was not any higher or wider, the agent added, but does feature “an additional small frameless glass extension”.

A decision must be made by Oxford City Council by January 23.

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