Plans for a student development on part of an East Oxford car park will be decided tomorrow night.

The proposal for 140 student flats on St Clement’s car park has sparked strong opposition from neighbours and businesses.

The development, of three accommodation blocks, would be on Oxford City Council land, and the authority stands to net £5m if it goes ahead.

Its west planning committee will decide the plans at 6pm, at the Town Hall in St Aldate’s.

Last week, plans for a small temporary car park at Harcourt House in Marston Road, to serve the area during construction, were approved.

But that looks likely to be “called in” as some councillors want extra safety measures drawn up to protect people using the car park at night.

Leatrice Beeson, 87, lives in Anchor Court which neighbours the St Clement’s car park.

She said residents in the flats, designated for the over 55s, were worried about construction noise and the loss of light to their homes.

She added: “Parking will be an appalling problem. I have no relatives living near by, they all drive here.

“Where will they park?”

If the development goes ahead, the number of spaces in St Clement’s car park will be cut from 112 to 74.

During construction the car park will be closed and replaced by the smaller site in Marston Road.

Traders fear reduced parking will hit business.

Alan Grosvenor, who runs Sound and Vision in St Clement’s, said: TThe opinions of traders haven’t changed one iota. The temporary car park is also too small and too far away.

He added: “The council have one thing on their mind, the £5m they stand to make.”

Council officers have recommended the flats development goes ahead, stating: “The impact of the proposal on neighbouring residential properties and the character and appearance of the conservation area, and the setting of the nearby listed buildings, is not considered to be unacceptable.”