The councillor who chaired the meeting at which the controversial £300m revamp of Oxford's Westgate Shopping Centre was approved has urged the Government to hold a public inquiry.

Green councillor Elise Benjamin, chairman of the city council's strategic development control committee, has written to Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, asking her to "deal with it properly".

Ms Benjamin, who voted against the application on Monday night, said: "The only way it can be dealt with properly is through a public inquiry. There are a lot of unanswered questions - issues like the location of cycle stands, how much energy can be generated by solar panels, and air pollution.

"I feel the city was too closely involved in the whole process to be objective about the application.

"It's not just that the city owns a lot of the land but, as councillors, we're not partisan when it comes to planning - we all belong to parties that have made strong statements when it comes to Westgate."

Although the application was approved by the committee, it would have landed on Ms Kelly's desk as a matter of course anyway.

It would then be for her to decide whether the scheme was rubber-stamped or a public inquiry held - as happened with previous attempts to revamp the centre.

Planning officers have now begun discussions with the developer over conditions attached to the planning consent.

They will also seek so-called planning gains - money for improvements to infrastructure in the area.

These would have to be ratified by the development control committee before final approval is given.

Another major headache is what to do with disabled tenants occupying specially-adapted flats at Abbey Place. It has been claimed they have been served notices to quit their homes without proper consultation.

Alison Nicholson, of city centre management company OX1, said: "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. There is no plan B. No other developer will come and an opportunity to improve the environment and economy successfully will be lost for yet another generation. This is a good development. It should be supported."

If Ms Kelly gives permission before Christmas, construction work could start as early as October next year and finish in 2011 - exactly 39 years after the shopping centre first opened.