A PROPOSAL to refurbish and regenerate central Cowley is welcome (Oxford Mail, August 6).

But what is really needed in Cowley is cheap housing – including more social housing - not a hotel or new retail developments that duplicate existing businesses in the area.

Placing too much emphasis on new retail may well repeat the unwanted experience of the West Way regeneration in Botley, where the community reacted strongly against large-scale retail expansion.

If more housing is provided in Cowley, perhaps this can be made attractive to the 2,000 workers who are to be employed by the Big Data Institute off Windmill Road.

If fibre optic cabling is made more widely available in East Oxford, then such workers could telework from new homes in Cowley.

Key worker part-rent, part-buy homes could also attract new residents to Cowley.

But this will only be the case if they are provided in sufficient numbers.

The advantage of new, reasonably paid residents in Cowley is that they will add to purchasing power in the local economy, which will be good for existing businesses and their employees in central Cowley, without adding to the traffic congestion and air pollution that are already a problem in this area and nearby.

Dr HAZEL DAWE 
Treasurer, Oxfordshire Green Party
Bulan Road, Oxford