East Oxford residents fear their community is being destroyed by student accomodation and sex shops after plans for three more student housing schemes and new shops were approved on Wednesday, May 21.

The public toilets and a strip of land owned by the council in Manzil Way will be sold off and developed as part of a student housing and retail complex in Cowley Road. An 18th-century building -- the former Electric Aids shop -- in St Clements will be knocked down to provide a four-storey building with a restaurant and accommodation for 20 twenty students.

The plans were approved by members of Oxford City Council's east area committee.

Pam Webber, of Bullingdon Road, said: "We've got so many students here we're no longer a community. We haven't got enough residents in Bullingdon Road to form a residents' association."

The Manzil Way development will include a replacement police office, public toilets, 28 student bedrooms and 570sq m of retail space.

Prompted by concerns that the retail unit might be used for sex shops, the committee requested that a condition preventing this should be attached to the planning permission. Craig Simmons, ward councillor for St Mary's, said the Manzil Way development was positive for the area. He also asked for part of the site to be given over to a seasonal outdoor caf.

Plans to demolish and redevelop a rear extension at the corner of Cowley and Divinity Roads was also approved.