Photographs to support the submissions of the Lathbury Road Residents Association North Area Committee 4 December 2008 Planning Application 08/02028/FUL 26 Lathbury Road, Oxford Updated for use with application 09/01956/FUL

The illusion of the garden suburb – wide streets and wooded corner plots. No 26 Lathbury Road is behind the wall on the left. Unique to Woodstock Road.

No 26 – the Lathbury Road frontage. Contribution to the character and amenity of the conservation area. “It is a planned suburb; the plots were large with the extensive gardens often dwarfing the actual houses” (Oxford City Council draft Conservation Area Appraisal.)

Some examples of development of corner plots where the special character and appearance of the conservation area has been lost. Pressure to remove/reduce trees. Staverton Road – junction with Banbury Road, south sideStaverton Road – junction with Banbury Road, north side St Margaret’s Road – junction with Banbury Road, north sideStaverton Road – junction with Woodstock Road, north side

The contribution of walls to the appearance of the conservation area. No 109 Banbury Road – refused consent on appeal “ Where spaces exist between buildings on these corner plots, the visual relief which they afford and the attractive views through to garden areas beyond are in my view important elements of the overall character of the conservation area. Within the street scene, visual continuity at these corner properties is generally provided by walls …” (Planning Inspectorate, decision 13/10/03)

“The mature trees shield the houses from sight. The skyline plays an important role in these vistas, as it is a major contributor to the overwhelming sense of space.” “The attractive quality of North Oxford is due in large part to the trees, shrubs, ground cover and climbing plants that soften the architecture and add contrasting colours and textures.” (Oxford City Council draft Conservation Area Appraisal.) This semi-mature and growing oak tree has already been lopped and “crown-raised”.

No.26 Lathbury Road (begun in 1913 to the designs of Percy Morley Horder), “a building of local interest in its own right”. This front garden will be lost. (Oxford City Council Planning Refusal, 9 November 2006)

“Front gardens are being lost to car parking, boundary walls are being removed, detached houses are become almost terrace like in form.” This view of the house will be lost. (Oxford City Council draft Conservation Area Appraisal.)

“Change of ownership and use together with different lifestyles and needs have resulted in plots being subdivided, with additional buildings being built as backland and infill development. Whilst the original layout of the estate can cope with this type of development due to the amount of garden space available, it is detrimental to the character and appearance of the conservation area. The spatial dynamics are being compromised, the gaps between buildings being swallowed by supplementary building works creating a more enclosed streetscape”. This chapel will be lost to view. (Oxford City Council draft Conservation Area Appraisal. Photo courtesy James C Penny.)