Sir – I was shocked to see an article in The Oxford Times three or four weeks ago about the proposals of Keble College to rebuild the Acland site in Woodstock Road.

If I understand correctly, they wish to demolish the old Acland hospital and other surrounding buildings to build one enormous modern building that will stretch from Banbury Road through to Woodstock Road. I expect the proposed building will be wonderfully efficient for the college requirements from the inside, but do the college and architect involved give any thought to the outside view?

At present, Woodstock and Banbury Roads are long pleasant roads of red brick buildings of varying grandeur, and on a human scale with little to jar the senses.

Now Keble want to build one long building with a huge white concrete facade facing the road, which will interrupt the balanced view that we have at present. I really do think that the colleges should have the good taste to construct buildings which fit with the surroundings and not attempt to impose their bad taste on the rest of us. After all, most of the residents of Oxford will be on the outside of that awful building looking in.

I believe they should keep the present buildings fronting Banbury Road, and build out of sight at the back.

The colleges have exceptionally wonderful buildings to enjoy and they go towards making Oxford the pleasant city it is.

Already the colleges are infilling within their own domains and I fear for more of the open spaces which they own.

We also have to remember that we have two universities in this city fighting for every space they can get their hands on regardless of many residents’ views — think of Headington!

Kathy Barber, Oxford