Sir – In response to the letter ‘Change is Coming’ (February 6), Mr Dukes has missed the point.

No one, as far as I am aware, has denied that the two office blocks at the West Way centre appear abandoned and semi-derelict or denied the West Way Shopping Centre is in need of repair.

If Mr Dukes looks a bit further, I think he’ll find that the centre and office blocks were built around 1967. They are typical constructions of the time.

It’s not surprising that they are past their best, not helped by fact that they have had virtually no investment by the owners (that’ll be Vale of White Horse District Council.)

I have no objections to refurbishment, or redevelopment, of the West Way Centre, and the area occupied by the Grant Thornton building, Seacourt Hall and the Baptist Church (provided suitable replacements are built for these). This is exactly what was intended when the VWHDC entered into the agreement with Doric Properties.

What I do object to is the inclusion of buildings which are not semi-derelict, which are serving their intended purpose, and are not eyesores on the West Way street scene — namely Field House (age-restricted housing), Elms Parade (1930s’ parade of mostly independent shops) and the vicarage.

The proposal to demolish these, to allow the inclusion of a supermarket suitable for serving a population three times the size of Botley, a multi-screen cinema, hotel, and 525 student bed spaces in four storeys of little boxes (above the supermarket, above the car park), plus ‘family restaurants’ is scandalous. None of these are needed to serve the local area.

And can anyone in their right mind think that this scheme will not increase traffic into, or out of, the area?

Perhaps Mr Dukes has the same selected hearing and understanding problem that appears to afflict the owners and representatives of Doric Properties.

Mary Gill, Botley