Sir – I am very concerned about the relentless building on the floodplain which is still taking place in Oxford.

The Oxford Core Strategy Policy states that ‘planning permission will not be granted for any development in the functional floodplain except water compatible uses and essential infrastructure’, but this is clearly being ignored.

A 20-acre site at Oxpens has been earmarked for houses, offices, shops and a hotel. At the moment half the designated area is under water; the Environment Agency flood maps say the land is a one-in-25 five-year flood risk; it has been flooded four times in the last five years.

Opposite, as part of the redevelopment of the Westgate Shopping Centre, a 40,000-square metre underground multi-storey car park is being proposed. If this goes through, further essential underground flood storage space will be lost.

The water is lapping at my gate, many of my neighbours have been flooded twice since the start of the new year and the Abingdon Road has been turned into a river. How can this policy of continued erosion of the floodplain be allowed?

Recently, a spokesman for the Committee on Climate Change spoke out against development in areas of significant flood risk, saying the UK is going in the wrong direction. Oxford certainly is.

Anna Glazebrook, Oxford