Student homes plan granted

Planning permission for the development by Exeter College was granted by Oxford City Council's east area committee.

Existing buildings which form the frontage in Iffley Road will be retained, but others at the rear will be demolished, to make way for new buildings. The site will provide flats for 102 graduate students.

College bursar Eric Bennett said the college was delighted to get planning approval.

He said: "We're starting on the Victorian house next week, putting in en suite facilities for the rooms and rebuilding the laundry at the back, because it looks really bad.

"We will start the main work in July as planned.

"The tenders are out and as soon as we get our contractors on board we will be able to start work."

As part of the development, two Victorian houses at the front of the site, a coach house and a listed former convent building will all be retained.

Planning officer Andrew Lewis told councillors at the meeting: "There are some attractive buildings on the site but unfortunately there is some rubbish that has been tacked on to it.

"What the applicant is proposing is to remove the unpleasant additions and replace it with something which is in keeping with the character of the area."

One person had asked to speak at the meeting against the scheme, but withdrew their objection once they had seen the full plan for the site.

As part of the conditions for the development, which will be completed in stages and is expected to take about two years, the college has agreed to contribute £7,000 towards cycle and pedestrian safety measures in the area and to give £3,200 to local libraries.

Iffley Fields councillor David Williams said: "This is actually a thoughtful development. These buildings are part of the heritage of Iffley Road, there are beautiful buildings and they have kept those as part of the design and swept away the rubbish behind it.

"I think it will be a real improvement to the area."