Oxford City Council has ordered a multinational pension fund to open a community room locked to residents of a North Oxford estate for four years.
An enforcement notice has been issued to Harmsworth Pension Trustees Ltd after the Oxford Mail highlighted the plight of people on the Waterways Estate, off Woodstock Road, who have been unable to access a room built for use by community groups in 2006.
When Oxford City Council gave developer Berkeley Homes planning permission to build the estate on the former Oxford Automotive site in 2005, planners said the facility must open before the first residents moved into their new homes.
When it was built two years later, the block housing the room and Kids Unlimited nursery was sold for £2.3m to the pension fund, since when it has remained locked.
Now the council has said its closure is a breach of planning permission, and has given Harmsworth until February to open it to residents.
Estate resident Ron Harper, 49, from Ryder Close, who has lobbied for the room to be opened, said: “We understand that this enforcement order is legally binding and they have a 60-day period to open the room. They have also been told to put two signs up with a contact name and number for someone holding the keys, so people know who to get hold of if they want to use it.
“Some building work still needs to be completed.
“When they built the building, it seems the contractors downed tools and never finished fitting the room.”
He added: “It is our moral and legal right to get access to that room, but without the Oxford Mail we would not be where we are now.”
City councillor Jim Campbell said: “I’m reluctant to say this is good news yet, but it is the first time the council has been prepared to do this, and I am delighted about that.
“I think it will start the resolution of the problem, and there is every chance that by spring, that room will be in use.
“I am hoping some people on the estate will agree to look after the day-to-day management and letting of the room.”
When Berkeley Homes was granted planning permission for the estate, councillors said a 400sq m community facility should be provided on the estate.
But the bulk of that was later given over to Kids Unlimited nursery, leaving residents with just the first-floor box room for community use.
Yet is has remained locked ever since.
There have been years of negotiations to try to get it open, but the city council previously said enforcement action would only be taken as a last resort.
Spokesman Louisa Dean confirmed the order had now been issued to Harmsworth Pension Trustees Ltd.
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