NO enforcement action will be launched when students occupy the Castle Mill development, Oxford City Council has revealed.

Students are being moved into the buildings in Roger Dudman Way, despite the fact requirements of the planning process have not all been met.

Head of planning at the council, Michael Crofton Briggs, has confirmed it will not take action until Oxford University has submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the development.

That document is expected to be submitted in December but protesters have said if it does not fit with Government guidelines, the university should be forced to abandon the buildings.

Sietske Boeles, from the Save Port Meadow campaign, said: “The key question for us is why the council is giving the university so much time to carry out a voluntary EIA given the potential risk to human health and the environment from contamination.

“We will be writing to Oxford City Council to ask them to require Oxford University to submit that part of their voluntary environmental statement which pertains to contamination within 10 working days.”

Mr Crofton Briggs said the university had been advised that occupying the accommodation would be done at its own risk.

The university did not make any comment when contacted by the Oxford Mail.