Building projects at two independent schools, a new customer services centre for the Town Hall and new restaurant signage for The Mitre are just some of the latest Oxford planning updates.

The plans can be viewed, and commented on, at the Oxford City Council planning portal.

         

Restaurant refresh: Mitchells & Butlers Plc, which owns 5 Browns Bar & Brasserie on Woodstock Road, wants to remove existing flags, lanterns, awnings and spotlights from the outside which, documents say, add to the visual clutter of the façade and street scene.

It has applied to install a fixed canopy over the entrance not only to add cover for patrons entering and exiting the building but also to give visual indication to the entrance. The shopfront is to be repainted.

Planning reference 22/01356/FUL

 

School house upgrade: Independent boarding school St Edwards on Woodstock Road has applied for listed building consent to update a school building and replace an interim kitchen with a fitted one.

The school hopes to carry out alterations to the kitchen and WC, reinstatement of a staircase, renovation of a first floor utility room and replacement of doors in Apsley House.

Planning documents say the alterations are minor works that seek to restore the ‘Warden’s House’ to its original purpose, function and layout and will futureproof the house for the needs of subsequent wardens.

Teddies' website says it was announced in early in 2021 that Apsley would soon become its latest co-educational House and a major project has been started to upgrade it.

Planning reference 22/01332/LBC

 

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Dining hall extension: Headington School has applied to extend the existing dining hall and make alterations to a parking area.

Planning documents say the lunch period has become busier since extra-curricular clubs have been moved from after school to encourage use of the centralised Oxford Schools' Bus Partnership service which leaves Headington at 4.15pm.

The informal parking area has been re-arranged to provide a safe pick-up and drop-off area to take pressure off the surrounding residential streets around Headington Road and Headley Way.

Consultee Ben Mundy, Assistant Transport Planner Oxfordshire County Council reported:  "OCC are satisfied that the change in use of the overflow car parking areas can be facilitated within the other parking areas to the east and south of the school."

But he said: "The dimensions of the parking spaces within the proposed drop off area do not conform to OCC parking standards."

He said the parallel parking spaces are not wide enough and vehicles overhanging the spaces present concerns over safety and convenience within the site.

He wrote: "Before this application can be approved amended diagrams need to be submitted showing the drop-off spaces with the correct dimensions."

OCC objects to the granting of planning permission.

Planning reference 22/01289/FUL

 

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Oxford City Council Customer Services Centre: The city council hopes to convert three offices at the Town Hall in St Aldate's into the Oxford City Council Customer Services Centre.

A design and heritage statement says the planning proposal is to decorate three existing offices within the town hall and reinstate a door within an existing opening.

Planning reference 22/01263/LBC

 

The Mitre: Gusto Restaurants applied for Listed Building Consent in April 2022 for works to bring the pub back into use as a restaurant and bar.

The proposal is to erect an internally illuminated projecting sign, six externally non-illuminated sets of 3D letters and one externally illuminated set of 3D letters.

A Planning and Heritage Statement says the proposal is for eight advertisement signs to be mounted on the walls.

Four will be on the south of the building on High Street and three will be on the east elevation on to Turl Street.

Documents say the projecting sign will be designed in a traditional roundel style with a gold frame and bracket and the lantern and canopy will be part of a refurbishment of the existing traditional features of the Listed Building. There will be six gold illuminated/non-illuminated individually fret cut letters on spacers.

Planning reference 22/01175/ADV

 

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