Houses above a city centre tourist shop, refused permission for a skateboarding ramp, and changes to a train depot are some of the big building projects in Oxford this week.

For more see oxford.gov.uk/planning

TWO new houses could be built behind a shop on a busy city centre street.

A four-bedroom home could fill the existing building above and behind the Oxford Blue souvenir shop at 84 St Aldates.

And a new three-bedroom home could be built in a new ‘four-storey tower’ to the rear of the site, where there is currently a series of smaller extensions to the building.

Richard Croxson of Govericks, a chartered surveyors company, has made the application, and it appears the surveyors own the building.

The Oxford Blue sits at the front of a timber-framed Grade-II* listed building, so special permission is needed to work on the historic site.

The rear of the building was built around 1637 by Thomas Seymour, manciple of Corpus Christi College, and was reportedly used as accommodation and a small brewery.

According to the applicant, the building has ‘suffered significant deterioration from the ravages of time including lack of maintenance by a succession of previously owners’.

Planning reference: 21/00374/FUL

An architects drawing of the skateboard ramp. Picture: via Oxford City Council

An architect's drawing of the skateboard ramp. Picture: via Oxford City Council

A SKATEBOARDING ramp in the garden of a Cowley home has been refused planning permission.

The ramp, which has already been built by residents of the home on White Road, is known as a half pipe because it resembles a U-shape and allows a skateboarder to build momentum by repeatedly skating up and down each side.

Planning agents had argued it was similar in scale and effect to other garden furniture, but council planners did not agree.

A report by council planners said the ramp would ‘by virtue of its overall scale, height, use and proximity to the boundaries would appear as an overly large and dominant addition to the plot and locality which would be detrimental to visual amenity and the character of the area’.

Planning reference: 21/00380/FUL

A small outbuilding to the rear of an Oxford mosque has been deemed lawful.

The small building is used as a washroom by worshippers at Madina Mosque on Stanley Road.

It has been used for this purpose for more than 10 years according to planning documents, but the mosque community had to check whether it had been built lawfully.

Council planners certified that it was.

Planning reference: 21/00264/CEU

Alterations to a historic Georgian house have been approved.

The house in Park Town, a planned Georgian area of Oxford, will have its old wooden sash windows replaced, and a new pitched roof could be added to the brick extension on the back end of the building.

The grade-II listed 19th century house will remain as a family home once works are completed.

Special listed building permission has also been granted.

The building sits in the North Oxford Victorian Suburb Conservation Area.

Planning chiefs said the renovation work would ‘accord with the special character, setting, features of special architectural or historic interest of the listed building’.

Planning reference: 21/00407/LBC

Hinksey Sidings sits across the lake from New Hinksey next to the railway tracks. Picture: Google Maps

Hinksey Sidings sits across the lake from New Hinksey next to the railway tracks. Picture: Google Maps

An industrial railway yard near Hinksey will be upgraded with train maintenance facilities.

Hinksey Sidings is a place where cargo can be loaded between trains and lorries.

Operator DB Cargo has been given permission to build a new wheel wash, weighbridge, and a portakabin gatehouse around the sidings.

In an application form the cargo company said this would help with ‘increased operational efficiency and a commercial upgrade to the running of the site’.

Planners certified the upgrades were lawful.

Planning reference: 20/02405/CPU