STRICT new rules to curb development in North Oxford could mean residents would have to ask permission to change their window frames.

It follows concerns raised by residents that the Victorian suburbs are being absorbed into campuses by Oxford colleges.

Now St Margaret’s ward city councillor Elizabeth Wade has said further planning restrictions could be put in place through a piece of legislation known as an Article 4 Direction.

Mrs Wade said: “As far as the conservation area is concerned, residents are the stewards.

“If we want better protection, we need to apply for the direction, which can give either broad or narrow protection to the conservation area.

“This could be positive in that the look of doors and windows could be protected, but of course it would also impose a level of restraint which people might not want.

“It needs discussion and I believe that now is the time for that process to begin.”

Under the Town and Country Planning Act, an Article 4 Direction would restrict works deemed to threaten the character the North Oxford Victorian Suburb conservation area. That would mean developments previously allowed without planning permission – such as changing doors, window frames or building conservatories – would no longer be permitted.

The direction would be have to be made by Oxford City Council and confirmed by the Government.

In a draft assessment of the conservation area, the city council said it was in part characterised by “wide roads, large red and yellow brick villas in spacious gardens and tree-lined avenues”.

Its boundaries extend from St Giles in the south to Frenchay, Lathbury and Belbroughton roads in the north, and from the River Cherwell in the east to just beyond Oxford Canal in the west.

The council also backed considering Article 4 Direction in the report, to prevent the use of plastic window frames, roof lights, solar panelling and demolition and replacement of original conservatories.

But Mrs Wade said the document – which is set to be considered for adoption by a planning committee in September – was “not adequate”.

It comes as plans are considered for a number of college schemes, including plans put forward by University College to build more accommodation off Banbury Road in the area dubbed locally as Stavertonia. It has proposed jointly with Fairfield Residential Home to move 29 elderly residents into a new building on the site and housing 29 students in the old one.

But there are concerns about the height of buildings and whether the development will affect the character of the area.

In a letter to the city council, Lathbury Road Residents’ Association chairman Ian Salisbury wrote: “The association is not averse to this development in principle. But a precedent for overly tall buildings in conservation area backlands should not be set.”

Frank Marshall, estates bursar at University College, said: “The new student accommodation has been designed with the utmost sensitivity to the environment and character of the area.”

“We have broken it into sets of smaller buildings so that they fit more into the landscape.”