Sir – Mace say that they would like us to judge them on the basis of their record in Oxford citing the Ashmolean and the new Bodleian as examples (Report, July 17).

That’s all well and good but you can’t judge a development on its builders without looking at the architectural and other aspects that make a successful building.

While the University has long-term aspirations and has used top-quality designers (with Castle Mill as a notable exception), Doric seem only interested in making a quick buck.

Doric would probably have described the Ashmolean as: ‘set back from the road and lacking presence’ as they have described Elms Parade and put a row of clone town shops at the front. I’m sure the frontage of the Bodleian wouldn’t have lasted one round on the drawing boards.

While closing a museum to the public for a couple of years is not a disaster in the scheme of things, closing the only shops in an area and moving 65 people from sheltered accommodation will be.

Mace say they will make changes but I doubt these will be more than cosmetic. In November 2013, Doric said they had radically changed their plans and these would ‘excite’ us — over 800 people were so ‘excited’ that they sent in objections to the application.

I suspect we will see some changes made just before the planning committee meeting to persuade some councillors to let their monstrosity gain planning permission. But they are really going to have to make some drastic changes if any sensible planning committee is going to pass it.

The Vale should not let Doric be bailed out by Mace but should take another look at all the original submissions made in 2012 and make a fresh start.

Gordon Stokes, Cumnor