Campaigners are angry that a report backing the demolition of a historically important Oxford building made no mention of attempts to have it listed.

Objectors to Oxford University's plans to demolish its central chemistry laboratory are upset city council planning officers failed to disclose the recommendation for Grade II listing by English Heritage, and think it may have swayed the decision.

The laboratory, which was built between the 1900s and 1950s, is set to make way for a new £29m earth sciences block in South Parks Road.

English Heritage believes the lab is of special historical and architectural interest and wanted to protect it - but the Department for Culture, Media and Sport turned down the listing application in June.

The omission of the listing bid from a report to the council's central, south and west Area Committee has upset members of the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society.

The secretary of its Victorian Group, Peter Howell, said: "I'm pretty sure the council would say they're not trying to obscure this information, but the fact it was recommended for listing is an important fact and it has been completely omitted.

"It was the first example of a curtain wall building in Oxford. If English Heritage say it's an important building, I think that should be enough to save it."

Council spokesman Fiona Colcutt said: "We think the information provided in the report was sufficient. No one was trying to gloss over the fact that English Heritage had recommended this building for listing."

A final decision will be made on Wednesday.