An authority approved an "ugly development" for north Oxford with dozens of objections despite later backtracking when it realised the drawings contained "significant errors".
Householders in the vicinity of 1a Southmoor Road near Jericho have been complaining their concerns were ignored as a developer sought to convert a large property near the canal into an "eyesore".
This comes as applicant Lark Hill Limited submitted a proposal to turn the existing joinery workshop into two new houses.
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Oxford City Council decided in favour of the application in May this year but has since quashed the approval after it "agreed the drawings (submitted by Wright & Wright Architects) contained errors".
Southmoor Road householder Nick Mckeown said: "Several of the Wright & Wright drawings contained significant errors, all suggesting the development was in fact smaller, or less overbearing to the neighbours.
"The community filed fresh objections; although somewhat wondering the point, given the first set of objections had been largely ignored.
"We expect that the applicant will return soon with new drawings, once again trying to get the ugly, overbearing and overlooking development approved.
"At this point we have spent a lot of money just to simply do the Oxford City Planning Office's work for them, reading drawings, pointing out contradictory decisions, errored drawings and violated policies.
"There are plenty of ways that this, and other developments could be done, developing new housing on the site, while keeping to the existing planning policy, while staying in keeping with the North Victorian neighbourhood."
An Oxford City Council spokesman said: "As part of the Judicial Review Claim process inaccuracies were confirmed within some of the application material and that led to the decision being quashed."
The spokesman said the process did not highlight any issues of applying national or local policies to the application.
An applicant planning paper says: "1A Southmoor Road adopts a holistic approach to design, in its broadest sense, to fully unlock the potential of the historic, but underutilised, builders’ yard. The product is a community consisting of two dwellings, which are interconnected through landscaping and materiality to form part of an integrated entity."
The city council spokesman concluded: "The application was determined according to the Local Plan and national policies and was found to be acceptable, the officers' assessment of which are published as part of the Officer Report.
"Whilst it is clear that the objectors are concerned about the proposal, the suggestion that the city council has acted in anything than an appropriate and diligent manner is highly disappointing and without basis."
We contacted Wright & Wright Architects for comment.
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About the author
Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county.
She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.
Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi
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