Elmswood, No 26 Lathbury Road
The rejected development proposal inserted
The trees on Lathbury Road
The North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area –
Do we take it for granted?
This website is about a beautiful house and garden under threat from predatory development.
On 27 January 2010, Oxford City Council rejected a planning application to develop the land at 26 Lathbury Road. Reasons giving for refusing the application broadly condemned the development proposals.
Even so, the refusal is now under appeal.
Reasons given for the refusal were as follows:
The house and its verdant garden setting make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area which are derived from the building’s architectural qualities, its mature landscaped garden and garden boundary walls. The proposal, which along with the subdivision of the plot, involves prominent two storey extensions to the front and side of the existing building and the creation of a new access and parking area, is unacceptable as it will reduce the extent of the garden area, erode the landscaped setting of the house and will result in the loss of part of the garden boundary wall. The house as extended would have more prominence in views from Lathbury Road and Woodstock Road and with the new parking area and access would harm the landscape setting and the contribution the house and site make to the character and appearance of the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area. As such the proposal is contrary to policies CP1, CP8, CP9 and HE7 of the adopted Oxford Local Plan 2001 – 2016.
A characteristic of this part of the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area is one of large dwellings set in large, landscaped plots. This has helped to define the garden suburb qualities and contributes to the pleasing, verdant ambience and appearance of this part of the Conservation Area. The proposed subdivision of the original plot is unacceptable as it would result in a private garden of a comparatively small size for the 3; bedroom semi-detached house, which runs counter to the historic layout and character of the suburb. In addition, the proposed works and subdivision of the plot would impose a threat to the health of trees on site: i] directly, by incursion into the root protection zone of the oak tree [T909] and ii] indirectly, through requests from future occupiers wishing to prune, crown lift and/or fell trees within the resulting garden areas. Both individually and incrementally such proposals, if permitted, would harm the character and appearance of the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area contrary to policies CP1, CP8, CP9, HE7 and NE16 of the adopted Oxford Local Plan 2001 – 2016.
Scroll to the foot of this page to find out about the fragile Garden Suburb Illusion, and then on to other pages for planning information links, information on the trees, the house, the garden and its setting; links to objectors' letters, experts' opinions, photographs, presentations, and more.
The predominant character and appearance of this conservation area is its leafy nature. Front gardens on Woodstock Road, seen above, are deep enough for fully grown forest trees which, with the generously planted corner plots, create the illusion of it being an entirely wooded street. The role of the corner plot is to conceal the higher density of development in the side streets. But many corner plots have already been lost to development, and there the illusion has gone. The corner plot on the left, the subject of the current appeal, is one of the few remaining. It is at the gateway of the conservation area.
The heavily pruned oak tree on Lathbury Road
The arched gate and the roofscape
The front garden, seen through the gate, will be lost.