A SINGLE bout of heavy rainfall could cause significant delays to a controversial 2.2km hospital pipeline project, local councillors have warned.

Speaking at a Headington Ward Focus Meeting on Tuesday night county councillor Roz Smith said that given the timing of the start of the project heavy rainfall was inevitable.

She said: "They are starting work in November and that is obviously the time when they have wetter weather.

"If they have a big downfall they will have to close the trench and take all their equipment off site and keep it fenced off until the water has gone which will mean delays."

City councillor Ruth Wilkinson also pointed out that the three separate dig teams for the Vital Energi project have been ordered to employ an enhanced level of scrutiny to the archaeological impact of the works.

She warned that if the contractors find anything while digging then the work must immediately halt which will inevitably cause delays.

The latest warning comes one week after the firm who are building a 2.2km heat and energy pipeline between the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals announced the work would go on for 19 weeks instead of just 17 weeks.

The delay was caused as a result of the simultaneous Access to Headington project which will overhaul infrastructure throughout the area at a cost of £12.5m.

Residents previously warned that from October 17 when Access to Headington begins until March 2017 when the pipeline project is expected to be finished the area will be "complete gridlock."