Oxford city planners are to ask the full council to decide whether they should reconsider plans for a massive 20m Islamic centre.

The decision was prompted by lone Tory member Cllr Barbara Burgess, who urged the planning committee to overturn its decision to back the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies on Magdalen College-owned land off Marston Road.

She said: "I am appealing to the committee to reconsider its decision. There is tremendous opposition to this development. This centre will change the skyline of Oxford forever, create more traffic and destroy a valuable site."

She has written to Lord Jenkins, Chancellor of Oxford University, as part of her campaign. The committee yesterday voted to ask the council whether it should put the issue back on the agenda. If it does, the five-year search for a site for the centre which includes a 108ft tower will be back to square one.

The council gave its backing to the plans in May, but had to wait for Deputy Prime Minster John Prescott to make a decision. He cleared the way for the plans in June.

The committee heard it could only overturn its decision if there was evidence correct procedures had not been followed, if there had been a change in circumstances, or if new information had come to light.

John Goddard, chairman of the committee, said: "I would like any decision to re-open this to be made by the full council."

The full council is due to meet on Monday, July 17.