An Oxford school has sparked a row with its neighbours over plans to build a music and performing arts centre.

Oxford city councillors granted permission on October 21 for Rye St Antony School, in Pullen's Lane, Headington, to replace temporary classroom buildings with a single-storey building and 12 new car parking spaces.

The school said the centre was essential for its continued success, but people living nearby were worried about noise generated by public concerts and music lessons at weekends.

They also feared parking problems and traffic congestion.

Residents from nearby Franklin Road, whose homes would be overlooked by the centre, handed the council a protest petition, but only the north east area committee's chairman, Maureen Christian, spoke in their favour.

Dr Timothy Farrant told councillors: "We feel there's no further room for further encroaching development.

"We're talking about a 160-seat auditorium with six practice rooms."

Dr Farrant said the school's website talked of the practice rooms being available at all times of day and throughout the year.

He said this would generate traffic congestion, as parking in the school grounds was grossly inadequate.

Dr Farrant said: "We feel Headington has already used up its nine lives.

"The tenth will be that of an elderly person or child."

But Rye St Anthony's bursar Anthony Sinclair said the school's future depended upon the new centre.

He said: "We've been here since 1939 and indeed owned quite a lot of the land these residents' houses stand on now.

"If we can't upgrade our facilities we wouldn't be successful. This purely enhances our existing facilities.

"We're very keen always to do what we can for residents and local organisations such as the Oxford Bach Choir use our current hall and we charge no more than a modest fee."

The committee granted permission on condition that the school produced an environmentally friendly traffic policy and restricted the number of days, evenings and weekends that the performing arts centre would be used.

The council also ordered that any noise be inaudible to Franklin Road residents.