PLANS to partially demolish the Clarendon Centre in place of student accommodation are set to take a step forward this evening.
Oxford City Council’s planning committee will meet tonight, with the future of the shopping centre and proposals to bring down a hotel on the agenda.
Plans for the Clarendon outline taking the whole roof off, to turn it back to its ‘former open street character’.
In addition to student accommodation, the Clarendon transformation could see new retail buildings and offices, with a new public square and pedestrian/cycle access through to Frewin Court.
The planning committee is recommended to approve the application for the reasons given in a council report.
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The report finalises by stating: “In conclusion, the development would result in a high-quality scheme that would significantly enhance the vitality and viability of the city centre.
“Great weight and importance has been given to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character and appearance of the conservation area, setting of listed buildings and important protected views.
“It is considered that the high level of less than substantial harm that would be caused by the proposed development has been adequately mitigated by quality design and is justified, and the harm would be outweighed by the high level of public benefits that would result.”
The scheme would also see the creation of a new public open space, including a water feature, public drinking fountain and seating.
Meanwhile, the committee is also set to analyse the demolition of a hotel in Abingdon Road.
The two-storey Victoria Hotel is vacant after the current owners were prohibited from operating, a council report states.
“Internally, the hotel is run down, so much so, the current owners have been prohibited from operating due to health and safety concerns – the site is now vacant,” the report says.
“When last in use, the hotel accommodated 16 letting rooms plus the owner’s residential accommodation, which is integrated into the footprint of the hotel.”
Plans are to demolish the hotel and build a three-storey, 38-bedroom hotel in its place, in addition to a two-bedroom maisonette.
The hotel was originally three separate dwellings, all built in the 1800s.
A number of ‘run-down and unused outbuildings and a hard surfaced car park’ are located to the rear of the site.
The planning committee is recommended to ‘resolve that if an appeal had not been lodged, the application would have been refused for the reasons given in the report’.
The applications can be viewed on the city council planning portal using the reference numbers: 21/00110/FUL (for the Clarendon Centre) and 21/02513/FUL (for the Victoria Hotel).
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