Oxford Brookes University is appealing to the Government after planning permission was denied for a three-storey science building.
The university has asked the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Alistair Darling, to look into Oxford City Council's rejection of the neurophysiology building at its Gipsy Lane campus.
The plan involved demolishing a single-storey workshop used by the university's School of Architecture, to make way for the new building, which included a lecture theatre.
It was rejected by the council's north east area committee in February, after residents complained the building would be too big.
Susan Tolman, head of public relations for Brookes, said: "Originally the people living adjacent to this land expressed concern and we got together and made three alterations to the plans.
"We feel we have good grounds for appeal."
Martin Young, chairman of the Headington Hill Residents Association, said: "We're not against development on the site.
"We appreciate Brookes doesn't have a lot of space and needs to do something with the land, but that building was too big."
An inspector appointed by the Secretary of State will hold an informal hearing to look into the plans, before deciding whether to overturn the council's decision.
No date has been fixed for the hearing.
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