Sir – The results of the environmental assessment the University was forced by the courts to carry out into the vandalism it inflicted on Port Meadow through building its grotesque Castle Mill student blocks were on display (briefly) at the Said Business School on Friday and Saturday.
Three possible mitigation options were displayed, varying from minor tinkering (option 1) to a height reduction of one floor (option 3). Public comment was not allowed, as the University said it had already decided to go no further than minor tinkering (option 1).
What the exhibition made obvious however was that even the option 3 of removal of a whole floor would still be an entirely inadequate solution. The only appropriate action, the unspoken option 4, would be to remove the blocks altogether.
The city council — who are the brains behind the Port Meadow disaster to an even greater extent than the University, as it is their specific planning role to protect the environment — should retrospectively revoke both the planning permissions they irresponsibly granted, and invite the University to make a new application on the site which would respect the views now desecrated. Removal of the existing monstrosities would cost money of course – but only once. The damage from letting the blocks remain will last forever.
Michael Tyce, Waterstock
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