FLOOD groups, residents and countryside campaigners have criticised plans to expand Seacourt Park and Ride into the floodplain.

Proposals for an extra 650 spaces - to combat the increased journeys predicted once the Westgate opens - were put forward by Oxford City Council last month despite a flood risk assessment warning the new section of car park would be built in a 'high risk' flood area.

The assessment even warned that drivers could see their vehicles 'swept away' if the plans went ahead.

But council bosses insisted discussions with the Environment Agency had ensured the scheme would not increase flood risk to homes and businesses.

Oxford Mail: Katriona Ormiston flooding pics.Car and bikes in flood - Seacourt park and ride on Botley Road..

Seacourt Park and Ride has previously flooded 

After a search of 118 sites - all bar Seacourt were deemed unsuitable - the council's executive director for community services Tim Sadler said it would not be their 'first resort' but it was the best option.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England's Oxfordshire branch were among those who objected to the plans over the course of a month-long consultation.

Secretary John Hill said: "This sort of development would set an appalling example for the council in seeking to protect the countryside around Oxford and make it much more difficult to oppose other unsuitable applications.

"The land in question forms part of the natural flood plain of Oxford and has flooded in the past.

"Flooding is becoming an increasing problems with global warming and land of this sort should not be built on."

He added that there were no exceptional circumstance to build on the Green Belt land and that it goes against the council's strategy to reduce the numbers of car travelling into the city.

The Botley Road site has closed in two of the last four winters due to heavy flooding, with many cars stranded in November and December 2012.

But the city council said the additional spaces were urgently needed.

It said the facility was regularly full and more than 2,000 extra journeys into city are predicted once the Westgate development opens next year.

Oxford Flood Alliance also objected to the plans and were concerned about the implication it would have for the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme - a four mile channel due to be begin on land next to the Park and Ride.

It also felt the increase hazard during a major flood had not been adequately addressed.

But Mr Sadler told the Oxford Mail that as the channel did not exist it could be included in the plans and that 'tweaks' to the extension could be made once the OFAS was approved.

Botley Road resident Adrian Rosser said the land earmarked for the new section of car park had flooded as recently as February this year.

He said: "I took photos of the flooding of the area proposed for the extension of the Seacourt car park in February.

"This was groundwater flooding not flooding from the river. They show that part of the proposed area will flood at the current ground level even when there is no flooding to the current car park.

He added: "I expect it would increase the flood risk to the houses along the north of Botley Road."

The city council's executive director for regeneration David Edwards said: "The city council has to balance a number of things, the Green Belt is important and so is the air quality in the city, the flood risk and of course the economy and traffic."