Sir — Two years ago, on seeing the skeletons of the Oxford University Roger Dudman Way buildings starting their terrible rise over Port Meadow, I started a petition, which thousands of Oxford’s residents flocked to sign.
The petition signatories were so numerous that a meeting of Oxford City Council was filled to more than overflowing when it was presented, and in December 2012 the Campaign to save Port Meadow, bringing together campaigners from all walks of life, was launched.
Since then the Save Port Meadow Campaign has exposed numerous failings in the planning process and last October took Oxford City Council and Oxford University to the High Court in Birmingham.
The result of that was Oxford University offering to the judge to do a ‘voluntary’ EIA in line with normal procedures (the country’s first retrospective Environmental Impact Assessment), which of course should have been done in the first place.
This process would usually take a few weeks; however as yet we have seen nothing. Summer trees have done nothing to soften the impact of the blocks, planning conditions are still not signed off, it is not known if the badgers fenced off by Oxford University at the far end of Cripley Meadow allotments have survived, and the planning process as well as the buildings has have been widely denounced as a disgrace and inadequate.
Whilst we do not object to building on this brownfield site the scale of these monstrosities remains an affront.
We await the EIA with hope, but patience is wearing thin. It is a further shame that the university and city council seem to be dragging their feet and letting down the people of Oxford, yet again.
Sushila Dhall, Save Port Meadow Campaign, Rewley Park, Oxford
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here