A SCHOOL in North Oxford has revealed its revised plans to build a three-storey music block, after residents objected to its scale.

The Dragon School, in Bardwell Road, has lodged a planning application with Oxford City Council, wanting to demolish and replace its 1920s Lane House building.

In response to previous criticisms about height and its impact on views from Park Town homes, the school said it has reduced the height of the proposed music block by two metres along Dragon Lane.

It has also removed a chimney from part of the building and the “zinc wrapping” around the roof.

That decision followed three public meetings, involving residents and the Oxford Preservation Trust, and a pre-application submission to the council, which is a rough outline of the scheme ahead of a formal application.

In its statement to the city council, the school said: “As a result of the comments received, the design of the recital hall roof has been changed.

“The proposed roof lanterns on the recital hall have been replaced by a simple roof light but the volume of the hall, important to its acoustic performance, has been retained by altering its dimensions.

“The effect of these changes is to lower the highest point of the building to below the tallest roof on the Dragon site and the neighbouring Park Town terrace.”

However city councillor Dr James Fry said that some people’s concerns had still not been addressed, particularly around issues of parking.

He said: “Residents have said to me that when you look out from Park Town the new building will be a solid block in front of them.

“The school seems to have gone some way to address this, but I am not sure this will satisfy some residents.

“Height is likely to remain a concern. When people look out from their houses their views are going to be affected.

“Another issue people living in the area have raised is people using Dragon Lane for parking.”

But Dr Fry said there are fears the new music block will bring more parents to the site, who will resort to parking in Dragon Lane.

He added: “There should be some kind of scheme to make sure that people can’t park on that road.”

School spokeswoman Sarah Harris said: “We have listened to residents and very much hope the changes we have made go some way to addressing their concerns.

“We are working with the residents to address the problem of unauthorised people parking in Dragon Lane and hope to have a solution agreed with them to stop this well before the Music School is built.

“However, there will be no increase in the number of pupils using the music school and entry will be via the school’s main entrance on Bardwell Road.”

 

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