Metro Bank gets planning permission in Oxford

Metro Bank has secured planning permission to change the use of the ground floor and basement of 4-5 Queen St, Oxford, from A1 (retail) to A2 (bank). The permission comes after the Council had refused to certify that the change of use could take place under permitted development rights (Class D of Part 3) despite the unit having an active retail use in place pursuant to a mixed use permission issued by the Council, the Council notably contending that the new retail use had to be in place for a year before the use could be changed under PD rights. Robert Walton advised Metro Bank, instructed by Guthrie McGruer at Blake Morgan.