Sir – In my letter last week on the building of a three-storey block of flats in west Oxford, I gave the impression that it was Oxford City Council who had granted planning permission. That was incorrect.

While the council had given outline planning permission for this development in 2003 and approved a subsequent “reserved matters” application in 2010, the final decision to allow planning permission was taken in 2012 by a planning inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, after the council had rejected a further application in 2011. I apologise to the council.

That said, anyone who saw the chaos on the Botley Road last week and the flooding in Lamarsh Road where this block of flats is being built will recognise that the decision to allow the building of a three-storey block of flats there (whoever took the decision) was clearly wrong. Such a development would not stand any chance of being approved if the application was submitted today.

Richard Bowen, Oxford