PLANS for a gated high-rise block of flats in west Oxford have been withdrawn at the last minute in the face of heavy criticism from councillors and residents.

The Oxford Trust wanted to demolish Trajan House in Mill Street, the former Gillman and Soame building, to make way for two five-storey buildings of 46 flats.

The riverside site is within a conservation area and near to Mill House, a Grade II listed cottage.

City councillors were due to vote on the planning application at the central, south and west area committee meeting last night at Oxford Town Hall, in St Aldate's, at 5pm.

But Steven Sensecall, planning partner for Kemp and Kemp, the trust's agent, said the application had been withdrawn following discussions with city council officers.

He said: "We have decided to withdraw the planning application and try to work with the council in putting together a revised proposal, having regard to local residents' opinions, which we will submit for consideration as soon as possible."

The proposed development was criticised by city council planning officer Felicity Byrne in a scathing report.

She listed six main reasons why it should not be approved, including the height of the buildings, inappropriate design for a conservation area, high flood risk and impact on neighbouring properties.

It also included only 33 per cent affordable housing -- below the council's Local Plan provision of 50 per cent.

Ms Byrne said: "The proposed development is unacceptable for various reasons -- it ignores the history of the site and Block One is too high and out of scale with its surroundings.

"The whole development fails to follow some important urban design principles of access and falls well short of what officers could recommend for approval."

Jonathan Higgens, of nearby Barrett Street, said he welcomed development at the site but had reservations about the plans.

He said: "Even if the site was not in a conservation area, the way the plans ignore the context and character of its surroundings is a major cause for concern.

"The provision of 24 parking spaces for 46 flats is incomprehensible, as the number of car owners is bound to be greater than that.

"There will be spill-over into the already over-crowded streets, with potential for tension between those owners and residents with permits."

Felicity Wenden, of Mill Street, said she supported new housing but voiced serious concerns about the scale of the proposed buildings in the withdrawn plans.

She said: "I hope careful consideration is given to the potential impact of a development which comprises more units than the total number of houses in Barrett Street, more than 150 per cent the number of flats in Mill Bank, or more than half the number of houses in Mill Street."

She also criticised the 90 cycle stands proposed for the development and said: "I welcome the encouragement of cycle use, but if anything like 90 additional cyclists were to use Mill Street at peak times, it could look like the rush hour in Shanghai."