A DECISION on whether a Cowley Road bar can create a rooftop terrace and bar has been temporarily shelved amid concerns about noise.

The Art Bar, formerly The Bullingdon Arms, applied to Oxford City Council to convert its first-floor flat and roof into a new bar and roof terrace.

At the West area planning committee meeting on Tuesday councillors agreed to make a decision at a later date and asked officers to look into how noise concerns would be addressed.

The plans put forward by the business say an acoustic screen would be installed on the roof which would aim to prevent noise from travelling.

However, councillors were concerned how effective it would be and have asked for further research to be done into how well the proposed acoustic screen would work.

Crown Street residents Peter McIntyre and Lise Bosher addressed the committee about their concerns.

Mr McIntyre said: “This would be a complete disaster and tragedy for the area.

“It is very delicate area with a combination of businesses and where a lot of people live.

“We are talking about how people live in an environment which is almost at the point of breaking.

“At our house we overlook what would be the terrace from our bedroom.

“This would raise the noise to a new level and this is the first time where I can find an example of a rooftop bar.

“If this was allowed you will be besieged by applications by everyone else for similar.”

Ms Bosher said she had been woken up at 6.15am on Sunday when bottles were being put into bins and could hear someone talking on a mobile phone in the Art Bar’s car park.

She added: “At the moment it is very hard to have a window open. This is to do with noise reduction levels.

Oxford Mail:

  • Oscar Van Nooijen

“There will be noise generation from the rooftop terrace a roof bar is just going to be a disaster.”

Proposing a decision is made at a future meeting, Labour city councillor Colin Cook said: “I suspect that the level of sound noise attenuation provided by this acoustic fence will not be sufficient to mitigate the impact of this proposal on the local residents.

“I suspect the eventual decision will be a refusal on that basis.

“If it goes to appeal we stand a better chance having that information.”

Chairman Oscar Van Nooijen said: “We don’t have the facts in front of us and do not feel we would be in a position to defend our decision, this would put us in a stronger position.”

 

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