NEIGHBOURS are demanding clarity over Oxford University’s intentions for the former children’s hospital site in Headington.

The university is hoping to buy the Park Hospital site from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

But the plot is next to the Old Road campus, where residents are fighting plans for a £57m scheme to build a new science park.

Residents fear the redevelopment would amount to a second phase of the Old Road scheme, and effectively create a new university science area in Headington.

Sietske Boeles, of Divinity Road Area Residents’ Association, said: “The university refuses to say anything about the Park Road campus. Residents are angry about it.

“It seems they want to turn a residential district into something like the university’s science area in South Parks Road.”

Groups are already opposing the Old Road campus development, near the Churchill Hospital, because of the height of the buildings and the prospect of 300 staff adding to traffic congestion.

Now they claim to have been kept in the dark about the full extent of university plans for Headington.

Auriol Hamer, of Highfield Residents’ Association, said: “They should have come forward with one masterplan.

“The university has never done that in Headington. It is all done in piecemeal fashion.”

Hilary Rollin, from Old Road, said the university application to build a temporary car park for 100 cars over two years would mean the removal of some trees.”

She said: “It needs to be clarified whether this tree removal is for temporary car parking or to make way for four new buildings.”

University spokesman Maria Coyle said: “The university is currently involved in negotiations with the NHS trust.

“We are exploring whether the Park and Old Road sites can be developed in a manner that appropriately links the two sites together, keeping the wooded character of the site.”

She added:“The University Estates Directorate is aware of the sensitivities around existing trees and these will be taken into account.”

The Park hospital building, dating from 1886, became a children’s psychiatric hospital in 1958 then a general children’s hospital in 1986.

Now known as Boundary Brook House, it currently provides services for children and young people.