PLEASE listen to us. That’s the plea from Cowley residents so fed up with having their concerns ignored that they have formed a new pressure group.

Middle Cowley Residents’ Action Group was put together after people living in St Luke’s Road raised concerns about a proposed development of 150 student bedsits and a new Conservative club in Between Towns Road.

The group met properly for the first time last week and has now elected a chairman, secretary and committee.

New chairman Keith Pearce said: “We wanted to keep a lid on our environment and keep it homely and nice.”

“Many of the members had previously raised specific concerns with local councillors, and at Oxford City Council meetings and the new Cowley Area Forum, but felt they were being ignored.

Mr Pearce, 64, said: “There is lots of development and there are always massive traffic and parking problems.

“We decided to get together and have one larger voice rather than lots of little ones.”

The Conservative club development has been withdrawn, but Mr Pearce believes residents have not heard the last of plans for the site.

They have also been discussing problems that could arise from moves to turnpart of the B&Q store at Templar Retail Park into a Sainsbury’s.

He said: “Increased traffic will be one and the people in Rymer’s Lane will have possible overlooking problems and a daunting outlook.”

The new action group will campaign on behalf of people living in the area bounded by Garsington Road, Between Towns Road, Barns Road and Oxford Business Park South.

Mr Pearce said: “We feel we shouldn’t just let these things happen. There are quite a lot of strong feelings.”

Oxford city and Oxfordshire county councillors will meet on Tuesday, September 29, in St Luke’s Road to look at traffic issues arising from the Sainsbury’s plan. A representative from the new residents’ group will be at the meeting to put their views across.

City councillor Bryan Keen, who represents the Cowley ward, pointed out that parking restrictions had been brought in on Bailey Road, Boswell Road and Phipps Road following residents' requests – but were then removed two weeks later after complaints from others.

He said: “They have been listened to, but the problems they are raising, some are their own fault and some are issues where there isn’t much you can do.

“We specifically tried to get people to the Cowley Area Forum to discuss the problems, but the only answer I can see is a controlled parking zone, and that’s a long way off.”