MORE than 100 people have already objected to building student flats over a supermarket on Oxford’s Cowley Road.
Three new floors could be built on top of its Tesco Metro to contain 137 new student flats.
But 128 planning objections have been lodged since the application was filed in July. It appears some of those have been duplicated.
Many residents worry that the project could result in a building out of keeping with the area.
Other regular visitors to Cowley Road who use a nearby yoga studio said they worry noisy students could ruin their experience.
But YogaVenue’s owners wrote to the city council earlier this month to say that they had spoken to developers and had been assured the impact on the studio would be ‘minimal’.
READ MORE: Superdrug opens new branch on Cowley Road in Oxford today
The studio is based in Avenue Lane and is in a building behind the supermarket.
Others worry that more students would be brought into an area which is already heavily populated with them during term time.
One resident partly objected to the plan because they said the products they can buy in supermarkets has been reduced because of students over recent decades.
They wrote: “In the 30 years I have lived here I have seen the influence of the numbers of students increase the noise level at night [and] change what I am able to buy in the supermarket (at one time no eco cleaning products because I was told the students weren’t buying them).”
Local Developments has said the plan would result in a development that would meet the ‘high standards’ now expected by students.
Another 35 people have said they support the project going ahead – with it potentially freeing up houses for families in East Oxford.
READ MORE: Developers want to build 137 new student flats in Cowley Road, Oxford
Supporters include Oxford Civic Society, which labelled the plan ‘sensible’.
The new block would contain a gym, communal kitchens, a common room, a TV room, work rooms, a laundry and a covered cycle store for 147 bikes.
Thames Valley Police said they would not object to the plan and ‘commended’ Local Developments for incorporating advice into its project.
The project will be decided by the city council over the next few months.
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