BOTLEY residents have hit out at proposals to knock down sheltered housing and a historic parade of shops as part of a multi-million-pound development.

They have carried out their own consultation which received more than 700 responses – with four fifths of them saying the historic Elms Parade must stay as part of the development.

A meeting was held to discuss the proposals at St Peter’s Church Hall in Botley last night, attended by more than 100 people.

Chris Church, one of the residents behind the West Way Community Concern group, presented the results.

He said: “We like what we have, especially Elms Parade and its independent shops.

“The sheltered housing should be protected. And we don’t see a huge demand for new facilities”

Doric Properties is hoping to demolish the existing 1960s West Way shopping centre to make way for a new commercial district.

This will include a cinema with four to six screens, a new car park and possibly a restaurant.

Botley Library, Botley Baptist Church and Seacourt Hall will all be flattened.

But concerns have been expressed about what the plans mean for Elms Parade and nearby Field House, a retirement home which could also make way for the development.

Mr Church said: “The survey backs all those in the community who feel that the new expanded proposals for this area are very badly planned.

“It is particularly interesting to see how much local people do value Elms Parade and their local traders.

“Many have described this landmark as an iconic part of their community.

The survey, which was returned by around 100 more people than Doric Property’s own consultation, shows nearly 70 per cent of people want some improvement to the area but with parts of the current development kept.

Around 80 per cent of people who answered the survey said Elms Parade “must” or “should” be kept, while about half of them said Field House should be kept.

Roy Probert, a spokesman for Sovereign Vale which owns Field House, said: “We wrote to Doric in March requesting a meeting, but are still awaiting a response.”

A spokesman for Vale of the White Horse District Council said: “The council is aware of local concerns about the loss of Elms Parade and Field House.”

Doric Properties did not comment.