WE put the councillors on Oxford City Council’s west area planning committee and their officers on notice today that we will not tolerate another farce like the Castle Mill development close to Port Meadow.

Planning officers have recommended that the committee approve the Blavatnik School of Government building in Walton Street, despite it breaching guidance that no building within 1.2km of Carfax should be taller than the tower.

Whether it approves it is a decision that rests with the committee. There are the conflicting arguments that while our skyline is sacrosanct, there has to be space, even in a historic city, for 21st-century architecture and development.

But when it comes to either approving or dismissing the application, the committee cannot allow the process to replicate the bungling of Castle Mill.

That was not so much an omnishambles as an Oxyshambles.

Crucial opinion was not aired and the committee regrets its approval.

We can already sense the hackles of councillors and officers rising in outrage at being questioned in this way.

But remember chaps, it was your handling of Castle Mill that resulted in the council impotently begging Oxford University to lower the height of buildings, so we don’t think it is too much to ask you get it right this time.