Sir – Oxford University’s Vice Chancellor Andrew Hamilton urged the governing Congregation in their debate about the Castle Mill blocks not to put ‘buildings before students’. And the Student Union President Louis Trup has been triumphalist about student welfare trumping ‘aesthetics’.
Both persist in wilfully ignoring the fact of an environmental impact assessment that judged ‘severe’ damage had been done to Oxford’s protected heritage. Dismissing this as about buildings and aesthetics, and failing to acknowledge the University’s responsibility, does them no credit.
Will they now press colleges to infill their quads to better serve their students’ accommodation needs and welfare? They are just views across empty grass, after all.
Virginia Walker, Oxford
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here