Expansion is the issue (From The Oxford Times)

Expansion is the issue

6:50am Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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Sir – There have been several letters in The Oxford Times, and an article in Private Eye, regarding disquiet felt at the insensitive expansion of Oxford Brookes in Headington.

These produced a joint response from Shami Chakrabarti, Jon Snow and Baroness Helena Kennedy on May 28. They reminded us of the excellent volunteering work that the students do, along with the essential training they receive to be nurses and charity workers etc. the dedication of staff, the economic benefits they bring and how lucky we are to have two universities in the city. They also acknowledged, that they, the three past and present Chancellors, live well outside the area, which puts them at a disadvantage. Brookes University is not being criticised for the standard of their work and community work in the area, which is undoubtedly excellent.

The issue here is their expansion and how it affects the local community, which of course these Chancellors would not experience because they do not live here.

The proposed building is enormous, even with the latest amendments, dumped in the middle of a conservation residential area. Residents are rightly concerned about the overbearing size, numbers of people, the possibility of extra cars which our roads cannot sustain, more bars and restaurants taking the place of useful shops, more noise pollution especially after closing hours, more pressure on the health service, more light pollution . . . Remember that this city has to absorb more than 38,000 students.

The city council, besides dealing with planning issues, local enterprise and required house building, also has a duty to look after its council tax-paying residents, who have to quietly or not, put up with some of the anti-social behaviour of high-spirited young people, some away from home for the first time. The late-night parties, inconsiderate parking, dustbins and boxes left on the pavements to fall over etc. I think the Founder, John Henry Brookes would feel a little dispirited at the latest fight, but in the 1950s he would not have foreseen the expansion in buildings and numbers of students.

Our argument is how Brookes can expand, while maintaining the well being of local residents. The ideal would have been for them to expand at Wheatley and Westminster Way.

Kathy Barber, Oxford