RESIDENTS have become embroiled in a war of words over a planning application for a new ultra-modern Yoga studio in West Oxford.

The plans would see the demolition of a small white garage in East Street to be replaced with the new build exhibiting, as the applicant puts it, ‘a more urban feel’.

Some residents living in and around the quaint terraced street by the River Thames, which is in a conservation area, have welcomed the 21st century update to the street scene.

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Others have argued the new contemporary design is just too much of a departure from existing neighbouring aesthetic.

As a measure of the feeling over the potential impact to the area, the application has so far garnered almost 60 comments on the Oxford City Council planning portal, while the Osney Island Residents Association has been engaged in a lengthy and lively email debate over the merits and possible pitfalls of the proposals.

Oxford Mail:

The existing building and former artist's studio in East Street.

The front of the proposed building would be in a ‘weathered metal’ which the applicant says is ‘similar in tone and hue to the red of the bricks’.

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In the application, Adrian James Architects argue their design for the building would ‘respect the difference to the street the garage made – in use, in feel and in impact’.

Commenting in the residents association discussion, one person put a case for the new studio: “It has always been my understanding that you can enhance the existing characteristics of a place by producing designs with new and contrasting characteristics, and there are many, many examples of good quality modern designs in very sensitive heritage locations.”

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However, another fought back: “As anyone with training in art and design can tell you (and there are quite a few of us here on Osney), heritage designation is based on objective and quite specific criteria, and in the case of a conservation area this means maintaining/ protecting particular architectural styles, design details, materials and so forth.

"Decisions about proposals need to be made based on these criteria.

“If the assessment process is conducted properly, it will be obvious that the proposed design for 16 East Street does not fit with the criteria on which Osney’s designation as a conservation area rests.”

The old but ‘characterful’ garage that currently exists at 16 East Street is looked on fondly by locals having been home to the work of local artist Hugo Powell for a number of decades before his death in 2014.

A final decision on the yoga studio will be made by the city council planning team in the coming weeks.