Sir – On Monday night at a special planning meeting, Labour councillors voted to permit the ‘temporary’ expansion of Marsh Road city council waste depot and the destruction of a much loved corner of Cowley Marsh Park. For those who do not know Cowley Marsh Park, the area to be covered in tarmac and fenced off is the main gateway to the park for residents of Temple Cowley.

It lies beside the most direct and pleasant walking and cycling route into the park and from there to Barracks Lane and the rest of Oxford. It is also a special place, not like the rest of the park, more sheltered from the wind and more intimate. It is good place for children to play and have picnics – a lovely spot which is very much loved by residents.

The councillors had plenty of planning reasons to refuse the planning application. Cowley Marsh Park is designated as an ‘open-air sports facility’. Under policy SR2 of the Local Plan, development is not permitted where the “area provides an important green space for local residents”. This was well demonstrated at the planning meeting with more than 50 residents attending, as well as 150 written objections to the development.

Policy SR2 only permits development where there is a need for the development and there are no alternative non-greenfield sites. Yet at the meeting, the developer (which is in fact Oxford City Council itself) provided no evidence that it has looked for or considered alternative sites for the depot. It claimed it was confidential, but how are we to know that they have even done anything?

I have learned three things from the meeting. Firstly, the council is willing to ride roughshod over the views of local people.Secondly, the council is willing to bend planning rules if it suits them. Thirdly, calling an application ‘temporary’ is an easy way of grabbing open land for development. This affects not only Cowley Marsh Park, but sets a dangerous precedent, so wherever you live in Oxford, your open space might be at risk.

Patrick Lingwood Don Bosco Close, Temple Cowley