Sir – Where is the democracy in Oxford City Council?

Meetings for ‘consultation with local residents’ and a planning committee of specialists considered the Barns Road project is not suitable for purpose, yet the decision is not accepted, so that the plan will be reconsidered by another review group with a Labour majority in the hope that it will be accepted.

I refer to the recent planning decision to reject the proposals for the flats, retail unit and workshops and minuscule meeting rooms laughingly called a community centre at Barns Road, Cowley.

In other areas, the community centres will be replaced in toto. Despite local resistance to the height of the proposed buildings, ability to overlook adjacent properties and no parking for residents other than disabled residents, the project has been called in.

Why not accept the decision of the planners and criticism of the project by local residents. It is not suitable in its present form and should be at only three floors high and be designed to be compatible with existing buildings opposite, to retain the local style. At the recent public meeting, it was admitted that the overall height would be higher than adjacent buildings.

The ‘community centre’ would only extend to accommodate 60 people and the frontage to Barns Road would be very simple and not match the opposite buildings.

We do not like the planned development as it is. That was clear from the public meeting and there are more objections to the plan than simply lack of car park space for residents. Other parts of the city plan have allowed replacement of facilities and consideration of the requests of residents. When will our local (Labour) councillors consider that they are elected to represent all the community and not have to follow policy dictated by party leadership. Accept the decision gracefully, and think again.

David Cook, Oxford