A leading academic has said he believes funding for a 1,400-seat concert hall would be readily available from outside sources, writes Stephen Deal.

Prof John Barron, Master of St Peter's College, Oxford, believes plans for a hotel complex on the Oxford prison site, off New Road, would be of little benefit to the public.

He is now hoping to hold talks with The Osborne Group - led by entrepreneur Trevor Osborne - which has submitted the hotel plans. A meeting has been arranged within the next two weeks. During a meeting of Oxfordshire County Council's strategy and resources committee yesterday, members decided to continue talks with The Osborne Group over the coming eight weeks.

A special meeting will then be held on June 16 to discuss the outcome.

Referring to Mr Osborne's scheme, Prof Barron, who has presented his own idea for the prison site to councillors, said: "A large number of us have been feeling that simply having a hotel does not have much to do with providing public access or benefit." He added that, as well as the concert hall, he would also like to see an open space area and sculpture collection included on the site.

"It is all readily fundable from outside sources," Prof Barron added.

It is not the first time a concert hall in Oxford has been proposed.

Oxford City Council's plans for such a venue on the Abbey Place car park only fell through at the last minute when negotiations broke down. Councillors generally praised Prof Barron's plans, but questioned whether the prison and former castle site was a suitable-enough venue.

Concerns were expressed about the traffic implications of 1,400 people visiting the site at the same time.

Mr Osborne's plans also included providing new council offices, a restaurant, museum and a health and fitness club. Also speaking at yesterday's meeting was David Stanley, who called for a military museum to be included as part of the site.

Mr Stanley, who represented the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, said it should be used as a cultural site and added that the Duke of Marlborough and two former Lord Mayors were already among the backers.

Oxford prison closed three years ago.

Story date: Wednesday 21 April

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.