GUESTS of a proposed 180-bedroom budget hotel could be told to park in residential streets in Summertown sparking fears the development would make congestion and parking problems even worse.

Plans for an EasyHotel in Banbury Road have been altered following concerns over height, traffic, parking and privacy.

The development, on the site currently occupied by Majestic Wine and five flats and other shop units, was met with more than 250 objections when initial plans were revealed in December but families and businesses have already been asked to leave despite delays to the demolition.

The firm commissioned an independent transport survey which concluded there would be 'no material increase' in traffic or car parking demand as the hotel would only have 25 parking spaces.

It said that guests would be encouraged to use public transport, but any who did arrive cars would be told to park in nearby car parks or surrounding streets.

The consultants wrote: "Although guests at the proposed hotel will be encouraged to use public transport, and those not able to will be directed to these off-street car parks [Summertown Car Park, Ferry Pool Car Park and Alexandra Courts Car Park].

"It should be noted that spare capacity exists for on-street parking too – despite local perceptions."

The report revealed that guests could be directed to streets such as South Parade, Lonsdale Road, Victoria Road, Hamilton Road and Portland Road.

City councillor for Summertown Andrew Gant said: "It makes the assumption that guests won't bring cars to the hotel but then contradicts itself by saying guests will be directed to off-street or on-street parking.

"The Controlled Parking Zone is reasonably relaxed so if you're a businessman staying at the hotel or here for an academic conference you would choose the residential streets.

"You could arrive after 6pm and leave by 8am, but you would be arriving at the same time residents come home from work.

"There's already pressure on parking in the area – it just shows a lack of basic research and willingness to engage with the community."

He added that he was not opposed to the principle of a hotel and, particularly with no restaurant and bar in the plans, it would boost footfall for local businesses.

However he warned that the current plans 'fell way short' of being good for Summertown.

Residents also hit back at the latest plans and said the hotel would only worsen the area's congestion problems.

David Eyton, who lives near the site, commented: "A minimum of 180 hotel guests will be using public transport, coach or taxi each morning when Banbury road is gridlocked and buses travelling to Oxford are full.

"Guests arriving by car will have to park on the street taking up places used by local residents, commuters and shoppers."

Another neighbouring resident Wendy Page disagreed with the survey's finding that there would be no material increase in traffic.

She said: "Without a doubt, there would be an increase in already busy traffic.

"That parking slots are not available to visitors would potentially shunt visitor cars into the outlying streets."

She added: "There are even now issues with noise, traffic and pollution, but the proposed development of a hotel would increase all of these issues and negatively impact on quality of life in the area."

Mr Gant also questioned how tourists might travel to the hotel and what impact this would have on the area.

He said: "There's two taxi spaces for 180 rooms – you do the maths.

"There's not a single mention of coaches, and anyone who's spent even ten seconds in Oxford knows that tourists arrive by coach.

"The implication is that coaches would have to stop at the Summertown bus stop, which isn't safe at all."

The height of the hotel has also now been increased to include six residential apartments, though they will be set back from the rest of the frontage.

It comes after five families were evicted from their homes last month and calls for some housing to be included in the development.

EasyHotel said Oxford City Council's planning team had suggested setting the top floor back and would not be opposed to it 'per se'.

Zinc cladding has also been removed from the top floors and the footprint of the hotel reduced to create more distance between the building and Summer Fields School.

The consultation on the plans has restarted following the amendments and can be commented on by going to oxford.gov.uk and searching for 17/02832/FUL by July 19.

In a statement, EasyHotel said: "The majority of our guests use public transport to arrive at our hotels and indeed we encourage that.

"Only one of our hotels (Heathrow) has a car park and we have not received complaints from local residents complaining about parking in local streets at any of our locations.

"We therefore don’t believe that this will be an issue here in Oxford."