THE building of a huge new student accommodation block in Cowley is causing chaos in neighbouring streets, according to people who live there.
Residents have repeatedly complained that workers constructing the 885-room halls on the former Cowley Barracks site off Hollow Way are leaving their streets littered with rubbish and parking where they shouldn't be.
The Unite Students scheme, in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, is due to be finished by September but in the meantime people have described being 'at their wits end' due to the ongoing problems.
A group calling itself the Cranmer Road Residents has been formed to protect one of the worst-affected areas.
Other streets where parking is a persistent issue include Rupert Road, Ridley Road and Fairfax Road.
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In a complaint letter, seen by this paper, one resident wrote to construction company The RG Group and Unite Students to say they had seen site vehicles 'all over the road' one morning last week.
Workers have been told they are banned from parking in a network of streets surrounding the site because of the disruption it causes but many continue to ignore the rules.
RG is understood to have employed guards to patrol the area and persistent offenders have been struck off the project but the problems are continuing.
Further complaints have detailed workers' cars blocking pavements and junctions, potentially restricting access if ambulances and fire engines needed to get past.
People have been seen spitting on the floor and shouting at members of the public, according to the emails, while a perceived lack of action by site managers is also criticised despite it having 'considerate constructors' accreditation.
The problems are partly being caused by a shortage of places to park within the site itself, according to those affected.
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RG has said that any subcontractors they employ are repeatedly told where parking is not permitted and it takes any reports of breaching the rules very seriously.
Oxford Brookes University and Unite Students did not respond to requests for comment.
The latest problems come as plans to demolish and rebuild the Clive Booth Student Village in Headington are set to be decided by Oxford City Council this week.
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