DESIGNS have been revealed for a new student accommodation building and retail complex, which opponents have labelled 'catastrophic' for Oxford.

Developers want to open the 885-bedroom unit on the Cowley Barracks site off James Wolfe Road, which would be used by Oxford Brookes University students, by September 2019 and have now submitted a planning application.

But a senior councillor said the complex is inappropriate for her Churchill & Lye Valley ward and that social housing is desperately needed instead.

The 'high quality' complex is planned to be 'car-free' - except for 16 disabled parking spaces and others for staff.

But there are worries the numbers of vehicles cannot be monitored by the university and that nearby streets could end up clogged by students' cars during term time.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, who is the Labour Party's leader on Oxfordshire County Council, said: “There are just too many cars here. You don't notice at this time of the year because there are no students but when the students are there, they’re everywhere.

“The area cannot take it and we need the land for housing. It is not that it needs to lie fallow. We need housing in this community. I have families being moved out of Oxford – to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Coventry. Everybody throws up their hands in horror but we need more housing.”

Unite Students said it would provide two temporary car parking areas for students to move in and out but nothing more for vehicles over the academic year. It would also provide 668 covered and secure cycle spaces.

A consultation over the plans were held last October by developers BT. At the time, 674 bedrooms were being proposed.

At the time, Mrs Brighouse said the site's development for the halls of residence would be 'a catastrophe', but BT's property manager Rob Maund said: “We are very excited about it. There has been no evidence to suggest that the student demand isn’t there and it is very much required."

Oxford Brookes has said it wants to increase the number of students housed in specialist student accommodation rather than private lets.

Under proposals included in Oxford City Council's Local Plan, which marks out areas for development in the city until 2036, Oxford Brookes would be granted permission to house more students in HMOs and private accommodation.

Currently it is given a 3,000-student target but that looks set to increase to 3,500. Oxford University is also granted 3,000 students but it is proposed that would be reduced to 1,500.

Oxford Brookes spokeswoman Rachael Lee said: "We continue to remind students to give due consideration in travelling to campus and if parking vehicles in the area."

The university has taken disciplinary action against 90 students who parked contrary to its guidelines in the last five years.

Oxford City Council planning officers are likely to rule on the plan by November.