CAMPAIGNERS claim their community is under attack after supermarket giant Tesco submitted its fourth and fifth planning applications to revamp a derelict pub site.

The firm’s plans to turn the Fox and Hounds in Abingdon Road into an Express shop have already been blocked by Oxford City Council three times.

Opponents thought they had defeated the firm in July when an appeal was denied by a Government planning inspector.

Dharamaraj Prasad, who has run the Londis shop in Abingdon Road for more than 25 years, admitted he was surprised and disappointed by the fresh application.

He said: “I thought Tesco had had enough, but it looks like they are very stubborn and determined to go ahead.”

The firm this week again applied to demolish the pub and put up a three-storey building with four flats on top of a Tesco Express store.

It claims the new plan addresses the planning inspector’s concerns over parking spaces and design.

But Mr Prasad still insists a Tesco store would destroy neighbouring small businesses. He added: “We have a small community here and we do not need it.

“It is like an attack because they will take the community services and community livelihoods away from us.

“If the community are together I think it is beatable.”

The old pub, on the corner of Weirs Lane, has been empty since 2007 and was gutted in a fire in 2009.

The new Tesco scheme has an Abingdon Road entrance rather than one on Weirs Lane and 16 parking spaces rather than 20.

There would be a two-bed and a three-bed flat on the first floor and one-bed and a two-bed flats on the second.

Meanwhile, the second application – thought to be a fall back option – is for work to convert the existing building into a Express store.

Tesco, which said the store will create 20 to 30 jobs, does not need change of use permission.

St Luke’s Church vicar Jane Sherwood said: “I’m not surprised because I knew they would just carry on and not give up.”

Rev Sherwood said campaigners would fight the new bid, adding: “We are still against it.

“It won’t help the local community at all. They just wear a community down.”

Tesco’s regional corporate affairs manager Simon Petar said: “Having listened to the local community and council we have revised our plans to take in to account the concerns raised over parking, entrance location and increased spaces for cyclists.”

City council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “The applications will be considered by the council and determined in line with its planning guidelines.”