Residents have called for plans to redevelop a former old people's home in west Oxford to be revised for the second time to include a day centre for elderly people.

They want developers to design a centre specifically for elderly people before Oxford City Council accepts plans for the redevelopment of Oseney Court, in Botley Road.

About 50 residents attended a meeting on Wednesday, November 28, to discuss proposals for the former home, which closed three years ago.

Developer Warden Housing has submitted plans to make the building into three interlinked blocks for pensioners' flats and social housing.

It has already changed its proposals to include more sheltered housing for elderly people in response to public calls, but said there was not enough money for a centre.

Residents were angry when the centre closed and set up a pressure group -- Oseney Court Action Committee -- to campaign for the elderly people's home to be reinstated.

Chairman Keith Eddy said he reluctantly supported the developer's revised plans to make 50 per cent of the 44 new flats especially for elderly people.

He added: "We've struggled for three years and I'm only sorry the proposals aren't for an elderly people's home.

"We will continue our campaign and will fight for a day centre to be built. We have already lost a vital community asset and we can't do without the services of a special centre." Kumar Sivakumaran, business development manager at Warden Housing, said: "If there was sufficient funding to provide a day centre there would not be a problem.

"We've already changed plans to include a large amount of housing for elderly people."