THE Environment Agency has dropped its opposition to a new housing estate in Littlemore.

Following a new assessment, the EA has said it has no objections to 270 homes being built on a former gas works site in Armstrong Road next to the former Littlemore mental hospital, so long as a number of conditions are met.

These include ensuring that the 104 houses and 166 flats will have no basements or below ground parking in areas where flooding is a possibility.

The EA had objected to the plans by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust in December, saying a flood risk assessment showed the site was not suitable. But last week it removed those objections after a new assessment by consultants JBA.

Our top stories

EA planning adviser Jack Moeran warned: “Without the inclusion of these conditions we consider the development to pose an unacceptable risk to the environment.”

The EA has also asked for a risk assessment into potential contamination of the site from its former use as a gas works.

The homes – half of which would need to be classified as affordable – have been controversial since they wereannounced last year, with some residents and councillors concerned by the proximity of unmarked graves to the site.

But last month the trust confirmed there were no plans to build on any of the graves of up to 1,800 former Littlemore mental hospital patients.

Concerns have also been raised by Littlemore Parish Council about the pressure new residents could put on infrastructure and services in the area.

An Oxfordshire County Council objection over parking space has been withdrawn.

City councillor for Littlemore John Tanner said he still had worries about the project.

He said: “If the EA had not withdrawn its objections the scheme would not have gone ahead, so that is very welcome.

“But there are still a number of concerns about access and the number of houses and the height of some of them.

“This is an outline proposal so that the trust can sell the land on to a developer.

When it comes to the final application developers usually try to squeeze in another 20 or 30 homes.

It is not yet known when the outline planning application will be considered by the city council’s the East Area Forum.