Sir, In your report on the latest stage in the Westgate development proposals (Report, September 15) you state that Oxford City Council is informing local occupiers and owners that they may be subject to compulsory purchase orders if the development goes ahead.
You also report Jane McFarland as pointing out that the bulk of the Westgate site is owned by the city council and the Westgate partnership. This, of course, is the problem. The city council, which is the planning authority charged with either approving or rejecting the application, is also the owner of the land with an interest in seeing it developed.
The decision on this application, therefore, needs to be taken out of the hands of the city council and transferred to a body which is genuinely independent.
Barbara Raw, Oxford
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