Sir – Graham Smith takes issue with me over my defence of the buildings in Luther Court which the A2 Dominion wish to demolish, despite the buildings only being 30 years old (Letters, November 24).
His main criticism seems to be the lack of front doors in the existing building. As the building fronts one of the busiest roads in central Oxford, this is sensible as anyone who has lived in a terrace fronting a major road will know.
The main point of my previous letter was to urge councillors to reject a design which even Mr Smith would classify as bland. The central conservation area in a city such as Oxford requires buildings which are of an exceptional design quality which, regrettably, are noticeable by their absence.
The advice offered to councillors should not always be accepted but rather questions put as to whether any new building is what the site requires and whether it blends with the existing fabric.
Mr Smith also castigates my assertion that blending new buildings in the existing urban fabric is not taught in architecture schools. This is not just my view, but is also held by many prominent architects practising in the city.
A. Watson, Oxford
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